Comesperma ericinum, commonly known as heath milkwort, pink matchheads or pyramid flower, is a slender shrub of the family Polygalaceae.[2][3] It grows to between 1 and 1.5 metres high and branches out vertically.[3] The leaves are 5 to 25 mm long and 1 to 4 mm wide.[3] Purple, lilac-pink or white "winged" flowers are produced in clusters at the end of the stems from October to January.[2][3]
| Comesperma ericinum | |
|---|---|
| |
| Comesperma ericinum at Anglesea Heath, Victoria | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Polygalaceae |
| Genus: | Comesperma |
| Species: | C. ericinum
|
| Binomial name | |
| Comesperma ericinum | |
| |
| Occurrence data from AVH | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Bredemeyera ericina (DC.) Chodat | |
The species was first formally described by Swiss botanist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle in Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis in 1824, and given the name Comesperma ericina, which was later amended to the current name.[1]
The species occurs in the states of South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland in Australia.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b "Comesperma ericinum". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government, Canberra. Retrieved 2009-09-17.
- ^ a b Wild Plants of Victoria CD-ROM. Bentleigh East, Victoria: Viridans Biological Databases & Department of Sustainability and Environment. 2003.
- ^ a b c d e "Comesperma ericinum". PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. Retrieved 2009-09-17.
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