Leucopogon decrescens is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to the far south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy young branchlets, spirally arranged, narrowly egg-shaped leaves, and white, bell-shaped flowers often with a pink tinge.
| Leucopogon decrescens | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Ericales |
| Family: | Ericaceae |
| Genus: | Leucopogon |
| Species: | L. decrescens
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| Binomial name | |
| Leucopogon decrescens | |
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Description
editLeucopogon decrescens is an erect, open shrub that typically grows up to about 70 cm (28 in) high and wide with a single stem at the base. The leaves are spirally arranged and point upwards, narrowly egg-shaped, 2.0–7.2 mm (0.079–0.283 in) long and 0.9–1.6 mm (0.035–0.063 in) wide on a very short petiole. The flowers are arranged in groups of 4 to 11, 4–10 mm (0.16–0.39 in) long on the ends of branches and in upper leaf axils, with narrow egg-shaped bracts and similar bracteoles 1.5–2.5 mm (0.059–0.098 in) long. The sepals are egg-shaped, 2.3–3.0 mm (0.091–0.118 in) long and tinged with purple, the petals white and joined at the base to form a bell-shaped tube 1.2–1.7 mm (0.047–0.067 in) long, the lobes 2.0–3.2 mm (0.079–0.126 in) long and often tinged with pink. Flowering occurs in August and September and the fruit is a cylindrical drupe 1.8–2.8 mm (0.071–0.110 in) long.[2]
Taxonomy and naming
editLeucopogon decrescens was first formally described in 2014 by Michael Clyde Hislop in the journal Nuytsia from specimens he collected near Rocky Gully in 2008.[2][3] The specific epithet (decrescens) means "diminishing" or "narrowing", referring to the outline of the leaves from their widest point to the tip.[2]
Distribution and habitat
editThis leucopogon grows in woodland or heath and occurs in a narrow band from the Whicher Range to Rocky Gully and Mount Barker in the Jarrah Forest and Warren bioregions in the far south-west of Western Australia.[2][4]
Conservation status
editLeucopogon decrescens is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions[4]
References
edit- ^ "Leucopogon decrescens". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ a b c d Hislop, Michael C. (2014). "New species from the Leucopogon pulchellus group (Ericaceae: Styphelioideae: Styphelieae)". Nuytsia. 24 (1): 86–90. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ "Leucopogon decrescens". APNI. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Leucopogon decrescens". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.