Epacris Cav.
Shrubs, ± erect, often rigidly so. Lvs sessile or shortly petiolate, scattered or closely imbricate, sometimes amplexicaul and articulate but not sheathing. Fls solitary, axillary, on short peduncle invested by bracts, either aggregated towards the shoot apex or spread along the branches. Bracts becoming sepal-like and often forming an involucre around the 5 sepals. Corolla lobes 5, spreading, usually < tube. Stamens 5, epipetalous, included or slightly exserted. Ovary 5-locular; placentation axile, with numerous ovules; style inserted in a ± tubular depression in the ovary. Capsule loculicidally dehiscent, the 5 valves separating from central placenta. Seeds numerous.
Key
c. 40 spp., mainly in Australia, but extending to New Caledonia and N.Z. Native spp. 2, naturalised 1.
Allan (1940) described 2 other S.E. Australian epacrids, both said to have grown in Leptospermum scrub at the head of Manukau Harbour S. of Auckland in the late 19th century. They are E. microphylla R. Br., and E. pulchella Cav.; neither record is supported by specimens. E. microphylla resembles the indigenous E. pauciflora but has cordate lf bases and the bracts are smooth instead of striate. E. pulchella is somewhat similar but the lvs are pungent as well as cordate, and the bracts and sepals are finely acuminate.
