Melichrus urceolatus
R.Br. Urn HeathErect shrub to c. 60 cm high; branchlets pubescent. Leaves ascending, narrowly lanceolate, 8–25 mm long, 1.5–4.2 mm wide, mucronate, glabrous or scaberulous, flat to concave, lower surface deeply grooved between veins, the mid-vein prominent; margins plane, serrulate. Flowers subsessile to shortly pedunculate; bracts, bracteoles and sepals obtuse to subacute; bracts 5–8, ovate, pinkish; bracteoles depressed ovate, 2.5–4 mm long; sepals ovate-elliptic, 4.5–6 mm long; usually corolla cream, seldom red or rose/pink or plants with a mixture or cream and red/rose-pink flowers; glabrous externally; tube cup-shaped, 2–3.5 mm long; lobes with acute recurved tips, very sparsely hairy, 3–4 mm long, style c. 0.2–0.3 mm long. Flowers mainly May–Oct.
Wim, VRiv, MuF, Gold, CVU, GGr, DunT, NIS, EGU, HNF, MonT, HFE, VAlp. Also Qld, NSW. Occurs in dry sclerophyll forest, woodland and mallee scrub, mainly north of the Great Dividing Range, often on skeletal or gravelly soil.
Although relatively uniform in Victoria, Melichrysus urceolatus is a variable species in need of further study. Victorian material appears close to M. erubescens A. Cunn. ex DC. (of western New South Wales).
Albrecht, D.E. (1996). Epacridaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 3, Dicotyledons Winteraceae to Myrtaceae, pp. 464–509. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
Spinning