Epacris purpurascens Banks ex Sims APNI* Description: Erect shrub, 50–150 cm high; stems with prominent short, broad, leaf scars; branchlets villous.
Leaves appressed to stem near base, spreading and recurving above, ovate or cordate, 7–21 mm long, 4.4–9 mm wide, apex acuminate, base obtuse or cordate, margins entire or fimbriate towards base; lamina thin, concave; petiole 0.8–1.5 mm long.
Flowers along much of the branchlet, usually 7–10 mm diam., white or tinged with red; peduncle 1–2 mm long; bracts acuminate. Sepals 4.3–6.5 mm long. Corolla tube 4.3–7.7 mm long; lobes 3.6–5 mm long. Anthers half-exserted.
Capsule 2–2.5 mm long.
Flowering: July–September on coast, mainly October–November on tablelands.
Distribution and occurrence: Grows in dry sclerophyll forest and scrub and near creeks and swamps on sandstone, from Gosford to the Blue Mtns.
NSW subdivisions: CC, CT, ST
Text by J. M. Powell, except for groups with contributors listed Taxon concept:
| Key to the varieties | |
1 | Leaves with aristate tip to 1.4 mm long, margins entire, petiole glabrous; corolla tube shorter than to as long as sepals, 4.3–6 mm long, lobes 4.6–5 mm long; style 5.5–6.8 mm long; capsule c. 2 mm long | var. purpurascens |
| Leaves with tip 1–2.2 mm long, margins fimbriate at least towards base; petiole pubescent; corolla tube longer than sepals, 6.2–7.7 mm long, lobes 3.6–4 mm long; style 7.7–8 mm long; capsule c. 2.5 mm long | var. onosmiflora |
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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