Small-leafed White Beard

Appearance

"Leucopogon microphyllus" is a bushy or spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 1 m, its branchlets with fine, bristly hairs. The leaves are egg-shaped leaves, sometimes with the narrower end towards the base, 2.2–7.3 mm long and 1.4–2.5 mm wide on a petiole up to 0.5 mm long. The leaves are more or less glabrous, the upper surface convex and the lower surface with more or less parallel veins. The flowers are arranged in erect spikes of mostly four to nine 5–11 mm long with bracteoles 1.3–1.8 mm long at the base. The sepals are 2.3–2.7 mm long, the petals white and joined at the base to form a tube 1.1–1.8 mm long with lobes 1.5–2.6 mm long and softly-hairy inside. Flowering occurs in most months but mainly from August to October, and the fruit is an oblong drupe 1.2–1.5 mm long.

Habitat

The autonym grows in heath and forest on ridges and hillsides, and is widespread on the coasts and tablelands of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, extending into south-eastern Queensland. It is found at sea level to altitudes of up to 1,200 m. The variety "pilibundus" grows in open forest and woodland on ridges and on rocky creek banks on near-coastal areas and tablelands of New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and north-eastern Victoria, with a disjunct population near Lerderderg Gorge. It grows at altitudes of 800–1,200 m.