Appearance
It grows as a slender, prickly plant usually seen less than 0.9 m high. The small branches have fine hairs. The leaves are oblong in shape, rarely elliptic, and measure 4.2 to 15.5 mm in length by 0.7 to 2.3 mm across. Like many plants in this genus, the leaves have parallel veins. The fruiting capsule is often curved, reverse ovoid in shape with prominent ridges. It is flat topped, with a few hairs and becomes brown on maturity, and measures 2.4 to 5.7 mm long.
Naming
In 1793 this species first appeared in scientific literature as "Styphelia ericoides" in "A Specimen of the Botany of New Holland", published by James Edward Smith. It was later published in 1810, in the "Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae" as "Leucopogon ericoides", authored by the prolific Scottish botanist, Robert Brown.The specific epithet "ericoides" refers to the similarity of the leaves to the European Heath. Plants live between five and twenty years, and are killed by fire and regenerate from seed which lies dormant in the soil. Bees seek out the flowers for their nectar.
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