''Leucopogon'' is a genus of about 150-160 species of shrubs or small trees in the family

Ericaceae The Ericaceae () are a Family (biology), family of flowering plants, commonly known as the heath or heather family, found most commonly in acidic and infertile growing conditions. The family is large, with about 4,250 known species spread acros ...

, in the section of that family formerly treated as the separate family Epacridaceae. They are native to Australia, New Zealand,

New Caledonia New Caledonia ( ; ) is a group of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, southwest of Vanuatu and east of Australia. Located from Metropolitan France, it forms a Overseas France#Sui generis collectivity, ''sui generis'' collectivity of t ...

, the western Pacific Islands and Malaysia, with the greatest species diversity in the

south-west The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A ''compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—each ...

of Western Australia. Plants in this genus have leaves with a few more or less parallel veins, and tube-shaped flowers usually with a white beard inside.

Description

Plants in the genus ''Leucopogon'' range from prostrate shrubs to small trees. The leaves are arranged alternately and usually have about three, more or less parallel veins visible on the lower surface. The flowers are arranged in leaf

axil A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, fl ...

s or on the ends of branchlets either singly or in spikes of a few to many flowers. There is a single egg-shaped to circular

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves in size, color, shape or texture. They also lo ...

and a pair of similar bracteoles at the base of each flower immediately below the five

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s. The sepals are similar to the bracts but larger. The petals are fused to form a tube with the five petal tips rolled back or spreading, usually with a beard of white hairs inside. The

stamen The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

s are attached to the tube near its tip and have a short

filament The word filament, which is descended from Latin ''filum'' meaning " thread", is used in English for a variety of thread-like structures, including: Astronomy * Galaxy filament, the largest known cosmic structures in the universe * Solar filament ...

and the tip of the

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is thin. The fruit is a

drupe In botany, a drupe (or stone fruit) is a type of fruit in which an outer fleshy part (exocarp, or skin, and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a single shell (the ''pip'' (UK), ''pit'' (US), ''stone'', or ''pyrena'') of hardened endocarp with a seed ...

Taxonomy and naming

The genus ''Leucopogon'' was first formally described in 1810 by

Robert Brown Robert Brown may refer to: Robert Brown (born 1965), British Director, Animator and author Entertainers and artists * Washboard Sam or Robert Brown (1910–1966), American musician and singer * Robert W. Brown (1917–2009), American printmaker ...

in his ''

Prodromus A prodromus ('forerunner' or 'precursor') aka prodrome is a term used in the natural sciences to describe a preliminary publication intended as the basis for a later, more comprehensive work. It is also a medical term used for a premonitory sympt ...

''. In 2005, following

cladistic analysis Cladistics ( ; from Ancient Greek 'branch') is an approach to biological classification in which organisms are categorized in groups ("clades") based on hypotheses of most recent common ancestry. The evidence for hypothesized relationships is ...

, in a paper published in ''

Australian Systematic Botany ''Australian Systematic Botany'' is an international peer-reviewed scientific journal published by CSIRO Publishing. It is devoted to publishing original research, and sometimes review articles, on topics related to systematic botany, such as b ...

'', Christopher John Quinn and others transferred some species previously known as species of ''Leucopogon'' to other genera, including ''Androstoma'' Hook.f., ''Acrotriche'' R.Br., ''Acrothamnus'' Quinn and ''Agiortia'' Quinn. These species include the former ''L. colensoi'', ''L. milliganii'', ''L. maccraei'', ''L. montanus''. These, and other changes proposed have been accepted by the

Australian Plant Census The Australian Plant Census (APC) provides an online interface to currently accepted, published, scientific names of the vascular flora of Australia, as one of the output interfaces of the national government Integrated Biodiversity Information Sys ...

("APC") but not the change of ''L. melaleucoides'' to ''Acrothamnus melaleucoides''. Further molecular phylogenetic analysis of ''

Styphelia ''Styphelia'' is a genus of shrubs in the family Ericaceae, native from Mainland Southeast Asia, Indo-China through the Pacific to Australia. Most have minute or small leaves with a sharp tip, single, tube-shaped flowers arranged in leaf ...

'' and related genera by Crayn and others in 2018 have led to further proposed changes, not yet assessed by the APC as at April 2020. These changes include moving 75 species of ''Leucopogon'' to ''Styphelia''. The genus name, ''Leucopogon'' is derived from

ancient Greek Ancient Greek (, ; ) includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the classical antiquity, ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Greek ...

words meaning "white" and "beard", referring to the petal tube.Les Robinson - Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney, page 108

Species list

The following is a list of species accepted by the

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

as at April 2021: *'' Leucopogon acicularis''

Benth. George Bentham (22 September 1800 – 10 September 1884) was an English botanist, described by the weed botanist Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century". Born into a distinguished family, he initially studie ...

(WA) *'' Leucopogon affinis'' R.Br. – lance beard-heath (SA, Qld, NSW, Vic, Tas) *''

Leucopogon alternifolius ''Leucopogon alternifolius'' is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to south of Western Australia. It is a low, sprawling shrub with thin branchlets, egg-shaped leaves with a heart-shaped, stem-clasping base, ...

'' R.Br. (WA) *'' Leucopogon altissimus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon amplectens'' Ostenf. (WA) *'' Leucopogon amplexicaulis'' (

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) R.Br. – beard heath (NSW) *'' Leucopogon apiculatus'' R.Br. (WA) *'' Leucopogon assimilis'' R.Br. (WA) *'' Leucopogon atherolepis'' Stschegl. (WA) *'' Leucopogon audax'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon australis'' R.Br. – spiked beard-heath (WA, Vic, Tas) *'' Leucopogon borealis'' Hislop & A.R.Chapm. (WA) *'' Leucopogon bossiaea'' (F.Muell.)

(WA) *'' Leucopogon bracteolaris'' Benth. (WA) *'' Leucopogon canaliculatus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon capitellatus'' DC. (WA) *'' Leucopogon carinatus'' R.Br. (WA) *'' Leucopogon cinereus'' E.Pritz. (WA) *'' Leucopogon cochlearifolius'' Strid (WA) *'' Leucopogon collinus'' ( Labill.) R.Br. – fringed beard-heath (NSW, Vic, Tas) *'' Leucopogon compactus'' Stschegl. (WA) *'' Leucopogon concurvus'' F.Muell. (SA) *'' Leucopogon cordatus'' Sond. (WA) *'' Leucopogon corymbiformis'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon costatus'' (F.Muell.) J.M.Black (SA, Vic) *'' Leucopogon cryptanthus'' Benth. (WA) *'' Leucopogon cucullatus'' R.Br. (WA) *'' Leucopogon cuneifolius'' Stschegl. (WA) *'' Leucopogon darlingensis'' Hislop (WA) **''Leucopogon darlingensis'' Hislop subsp. ''darlingensis'' (WA) **''Leucopogon darlingensis'' subsp. ''rectus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon decrescens'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon denticulatus'' W.Fitzg. (WA) *'' Leucopogon distans'' R.Br. (WA) *'' Leucopogon diversifolius'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon elatior'' Sond. (WA) *'' Leucopogon elegans'' Sond. (WA) **''Leucopogon elegans'' Sond. var. ''elegans'' **''Leucopogon elegans'' subsp. ''psorophyllus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon extremus'' Hislop & Puente-Lel. (WA) *''

Leucopogon fasciculatus ''Leucopogon fasciculatus'', commonly known as tall mingimingi, is a species of shrub within the family Ericaceae. It is Endemism, endemic to New Zealand. This species is found in the North Island north of the Bay of Plenty and Taranaki. In the ...

'' (

G.Forst. Johann George Adam Forster, also known as Georg Forster (; 27 November 1754 – 10 January 1794), was a German geographer, naturalist, ethnologist, travel writer, journalist and revolutionary. At an early age, he accompanied his father, Joha ...

) A.Rich. (New Zealand) *'' Leucopogon fimbriatus'' Stschegl. (WA) *'' Leucopogon florulentus'' Benth. (WA) *'' Leucopogon foliosus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon gelidus'' N.A.Wakef. (NSW, ACT, Vic) *'' Leucopogon gibbosus'' Stschegl. (WA) *'' Leucopogon gilbertii'' Stschegl. (WA) *'' Leucopogon glabellus'' R.Br. (WA) *'' Leucopogon glacialis'' Lindl. (SA, Vic) *'' Leucopogon gnaphalioides'' Stschegl. (WA) *'' Leucopogon gracilis'' R.Br. (WA) *'' Leucopogon gracillimus'' DC. (WA) *'' Leucopogon grammatus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon incisus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon inflexus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon infuscatus'' Strid (WA) *'' Leucopogon interruptus'' R.Br. (WA) *'' Leucopogon interstans'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon lasiophyllus'' Stschegl. (WA) *'' Leucopogon lasiostachyus'' Stschegl. (WA) *'' Leucopogon lloydiorum'' Strid (WA) *'' Leucopogon maritimus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon melaleucoides'' A.Cunn. ex DC. (Qld, NSW) *'' Leucopogon microcarpus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon microphyllus'' ( Cav.) R.Br. (Qld, NSW, ACT, Vic) **''Leucopogon microphyllus'' (Cav.) R.Br. var. ''microphyllus'' **''Leucopogon microphyllus'' var. ''pilibundus'' (A.Cunn. ex DC.) Benth. *'' Leucopogon mollis'' E.Pritz. (WA) *'' Leucopogon navicularis'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon neurophyllus'' F.Muell. (Vic) *'' Leucopogon newbeyi'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon nitidus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon obovatus'' ( Labill.) R.Br. (WA) **''Leucopogon obovatus'' (Labill.) R.Br. subsp. ''obovatus '' **''Leucopogon obovatus'' subsp. ''revolutus'' (R.Br.) Hislop *'' Leucopogon obtusatus'' Sond. (WA) *'' Leucopogon oldfieldii'' Benth. (WA) *'' Leucopogon oliganthus'' E.Pritz. (WA) *'' Leucopogon opponens'' (F.Muell.) Benth. (WA) *'' Leucopogon oppositifolius'' Sond. (WA) *'' Leucopogon ozothamnoides'' Benth. (WA) *''

Leucopogon parviflorus ''Leucopogon parviflorus'', commonly known as coast beard-heath or native currant, is a shrub or small tree in the family Ericaceae. It is native to all Australian states and territories excluding the Northern Territory and the Australian Capi ...

'' (

Andrews Andrews may refer to: Places Australia *Andrews, Queensland *Andrews, South Australia United States *Andrews, Florida (disambiguation), various places *Andrews, Indiana *Andrews, Nebraska *Andrews, North Carolina *Andrews, Oregon *Andrews, South ...

) Lindl. (WA, SA, Qld, NSW, LHI, Vic, Tas, NZ) *'' Leucopogon penicillatus'' Stschegl. (WA) *'' Leucopogon phyllostachys'' Benth. (WA) *'' Leucopogon pilifer'' N.A.Wakef. (NSW, Vic, Tas) *'' Leucopogon pimeleoides'' A.Cunn. ex DC. (Qld, NSW) *'' Leucopogon plumuliflorus'' (F.Muell.) F.Muell. ex Benth. (WA) *'' Leucopogon polymorphus'' Sond. (WA) *'' Leucopogon polystachyus'' R.Br. (WA) *'' Leucopogon prolatus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon psammophilus'' E.Pritz. (WA) *'' Leucopogon pulchellus'' Sond. (WA) *'' Leucopogon reflexus'' R.Br. (WA) *'' Leucopogon remotus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon rodwayi'' Summerh. (NSW) *'' Leucopogon rubricaulis'' R.Br. (WA) *''

Leucopogon rugulosus ''Leucopogon rugulosus'' is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to a restricted part of the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with a single stem at ground level, elliptic or egg-shaped lea ...

'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon rupicola'' C.T.White (Qld) *'' Leucopogon ruscifolius'' R.Br. (Qld) *'' Leucopogon simulans'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon spectabilis'' Hislop & A.R.Chapm. (WA) *'' Leucopogon sprengelioides'' Sond. (WA) *'' Leucopogon squarrosus'' Benth. (WA) **''Leucopogon squarrosus'' Benth. subsp. ''squarrosus'' (WA) **''Leucopogon squarrosus'' subsp. ''trigynus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon stenophyllus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon stokesii'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon strictus'' Benth. (WA) *'' Leucopogon subsejunctus'' Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon tamariscinus'' R.Br. (WA) *'' Leucopogon tenuicaulis'' J.M.Powell ex Hislop (WA) *'' Leucopogon tenuis'' DC. (WA) *'' Leucopogon tetragonus'' Sond. (WA) *'' Leucopogon thymifolius'' Lindl. ex Benth. (Vic.) *'' Leucopogon unilateralis'' Stschegl. (WA) *'' Leucopogon validus'' Hislop & A.R.Chapm. (WA) *'' Leucopogon verticillatus'' R.Br. (WA) *'' Leucopogon virgatus'' (Labill.) R.Br. (SA, Qld, NSW, ACT, Vic, Tas) **''Leucopogon virgatus'' var. ''brevifolius'' Benth. (SA, Vic, Tas) **''Leucopogon virgatus'' (Labill.) R.Br. var. ''virgatus'' (SA, ACT, Vic, Tas) *'' Leucopogon wheelerae'' Hislop (WA)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1936785 Ericaceae genera