Epacris

Epacris
Epacris longiflora
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Epacris
J.R.Forst.
Species

See text.

Epacris is a genus of about 35–40 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. It was formerly treated in a closely related but separate family Epacridaceae, but the various genera within Epacridaceae including Epacris have been revised in their relationships to each other and brought under the common umbrella of the Ericaceae. The genus Epacris is native to eastern and southeastern Australia (southeast Queensland south to Tasmania and west to southeast South Australia), New Caledonia and New Zealand. The species are known as heaths or Australian heaths.

Epacris impressa ranges from 1 to 3 m in height. Impressa refers to the five distinct indentations at the base of each petal of the floral tube. The common name is the Pink or Common Heath, although any one patch of heathland or bushland may contain all three main distinct colour forms, red, pink and white in close proximity, with minimal grading. The Common Heath is brightly coloured species which attracts both birds and insects for pollinated. The Common Heath was collected from Tasmania in 1793 by the French botanist Jacques-Julien Houton de Labillardiere during his voyage with Bruny D'Entrecasteaux on the unsuccessful search for the missing explorer La Perouse. Following Bruny's death in July 1793, Victoria was the first Australian state to give official recognition to such an emblem.

E. impressa is the state flower of Victoria.

Selected species

Images

References

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