Kunzea capitata (Sm.) Heynh. APNI* Synonyms: Kunzea schaueri Schauer APNI*
Kunzea capitata var. glabrescens Benth. APNI*
Metrosideros capitata Sm. APNI*
Description: Erect or ascending shrub to 2 m high, but often shorter and spindly; young stems covered with spreading hairs, occasionally glabrous.
Leaves oblanceolate to obovate, 3.5–9 mm long, 1.5–4.5 mm wide, apex acute to obtuse and mucronate and recurved, 3 longitudinal veins visible, villous to ciliate or glabrous; petiole c. 1 mm long.
Flowers pink to purple, sometimes white, subsessile, in head-like clusters at end of branches. Hypanthium villous, at least at the base. Sepals narrow-triangular, 1–2 mm long. Petals 1–1.5 mm long. Stamens 3.5–4.5 mm long. Ovary 3-locular, placentation axile; style 4.5–6.5 mm long.
Fruit 3–4.5 mm long, 2–2.5 mm diam., dehiscent.
Flowering: late winter to late spring.
Distribution and occurrence: From the Grafton district south to Ulladulla. Grows in heath and dry sclerophyll forest.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, CT, ST
A variable species and white flowered plants are not given separate taxonomic status. Two subspecies are recognised that are mostly geographically separate but local intermediates between the two subspecies do occur where the distributions overlap, mainly in the southern parts of the CT and the SC hinterland.
Text by Peter G. Wilson
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 2 (1991); updated from Toelken (2016)
| | Key to the subspecies | |
| 1 | Sepals and upper parts of hypanthium both usually distinctly hairy; leaves mostly with conspicuously tuberculate margins | subsp. capitata |
| Sepals and upper parts of hypanthium glabrous or markedly less hairy than the lower parts; leaves with smooth or faintly tuberculate margins | subsp. seminuda |
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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