Common name: Blunt Beard-heath
Leucopogon muticus R.Br. APNI* 
Description: Erect, straggly shrub to c. 1.5 m high; branchlets minutely pubescent.
Leaves obovate, 9.6–23.0 mm long, 2.5–5.8 mm wide; margins often slightly recurved, entire; lamina discolorous, thin ± flat, with 3–5 central parallel veins; petiole 1.5–2.0 mm long.
Flowers erect, 4–10 plus rudiment, borne on axillary spikes to 9 mm long, white; peduncles c. 2 mm long, pubescent; bracteoles 0.9–1.2 mm long. Sepals 0.9–2.4 mm long. Corolla tube 2.0–2.45 mm long, internally with lobe hairs reflexed into tube; lobes 1.4–2.0 mm long, internally densely villous, beard becoming shorter towards apex.
Fruit ellipsoid, 3.2–4.5 mm long, 3–5-ridged and scarcely bristly, black.
Flowering: September–October
Distribution and occurrence: Often grows in dry sclerophyll forest or exposed situations on sandy soil, north from Cooma.
NSW subdivisions: NC, CC, SC, NT, CT, ST, NWS, CWS, SWS
Other Australian states: Qld
Text by J. M. Powell, except for groups with contributors listed
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 3 (1992)
ECOLOGY
Life History
Longevity Medium.
Flowers White, scented, July--October, peak September.
Fruit/seed Black, succulent fruit (drupe), 3.0--4.5 mm long, black, October--January, peak December.
Dispersal, establishment and growth Diaspore: fruit.
Fire response May resprout after low or medium intensity fires, flowering in winter following such fires (R. Lembit pers comm.).
Habitat
Habitat Upper slopes and ridges.
Altitude 0--1000 m
Annual rainfall 700--1000 mm
Typical local abundance Frequent--dominant.
Vegetation Dry sclerophyll forest e.g. with Eucalyptus eximia, Eucalyptus punctata, Angophora bakeri, Corymbia gummifera, Eucalyptus haemastoma, Angophora costata, Eucalyptus sparsifolia, E. rossii.
Substrate Skeletal sandy soil on sandstone. Could be indicator of clay influence?
Exposure Frequent species, and widespread on drier parts of sandstone plateau.
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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