''Epacris hamiltonii'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to the Blue Mountains in New South Wales. It is a slender, low-lying to ascending shrub with hairy branchlets, thin, flat, hairy egg-shaped leaves, and white, tube-shaped flowers arranged in small groups at the end of branches.

Description

''Epacris hamiltonii'' is a slender, low-lying to ascending shrub with branches up to high, the branchlets covered with shaggy hairs. The leaves are egg-shaped, long and wide on a petiole long. The leaves are thin and flat, both sides covered with long, silky hairs. The flowers are arranged in small groups at the ends of branches and are about in diameter on a

peduncle Peduncle may refer to: *Peduncle (botany), a stalk supporting an inflorescence, which is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed *Peduncle (anatomy), a stem, through which a mass of tissue is attached to a body **Peduncle (art ...

about long. The sepals are long, the petal tube long with spreading lobes long. The

anthers The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...

are enclosed in the petal tube but the style is longer than it. Flowering occurs from September to December and the fruit is a capsule about long, containing dust-like seeds.

Taxonomy

''Epacris hamiltonii'' was first formally described in 1900 by Joseph Maiden and

Ernst Betche Daniel Ludwig Ernst Betche (31 December 1851, in Potsdam – 28 June 1913, in Sydney) was a German-Australian horticulturist and botanist. His mother died at his birth and he was of delicate constitution all his life. His father was sufficiently ...

in the ''

Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales The Linnean Society of New South Wales promotes ''the Cultivation and Study of the Science of Natural History in all its Branches'' and was founded in Sydney, New South Wales ( Australia) in 1874 and incorporated in 1884. History The Society suc ...

'', from specimens collected in 1900 near

Blackheath Blackheath may refer to: Places England *Blackheath, London, England ** Blackheath railway station **Hundred of Blackheath, Kent, an ancient hundred in the north west of the county of Kent, England *Blackheath, Surrey, England ** Hundred of Blackh ...

in the Blue Mountains by

Arthur Andrew Hamilton Arthur Andrew Hamilton, (1855-1929) was an Australian botanist. Names published *'' Ancistrachne maidenii'' (A.A.Ham.) Vickery (basionym: ''Eriochloa maidenii'' A.A.Ham.: Hamilton, A.A. (1913) A new Species of Eriochloa from the Hawkesbury R ...

Distribution and habitat

This epacris only grows in moist soil on or near cliffs of Narrabeen sandstone near perennial creeks that flow into the

Grose Valley The Grose Valley is a rugged valley in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales, Australia. It has been formed by the Grose River, the headwaters of which are in the Mount Victoria area. The valley is located between the Great Western Highway and ...

in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.

Conservation status

''Epacris hamiltonii'' is listed as "endangered" under the Australian Government '' Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999'' and the New South Wales Government '' Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016''. The main threats to the species include inappropriate fire regimes, trampling by walkers, weed invasion, and changes in water flow and quality.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15376695 hamiltonii Ericales of Australia Flora of New South Wales Taxa named by Joseph Maiden Taxa named by Ernst Betche Plants described in 1900