Plants of
South Australia
Rinzia ericaea ssp. ericaea
Myrtaceae
Mat Heath-myrtle
Display all 5 images
Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.
Least concern
Near threatened
Rare
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critically endangered
Extinct
Data deficient
Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
Mount Gambier
Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
Yunta
Enlarge Map
Copy Map
Copy Map
Display IBRA region text

Botanical art

Kath Alcock paintings: 3

Prior names

Rinzia ericea ssp. ericea

Baeckea ericaea, partly

Baeckea microphylla var. ericaea

Etymology

Distribution and status

Found on Yorke Peninsula, Murray and South East regions in South Australia, growing on sandy soils on dunes and in heathland. Also found in Victoria. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in Victoria.(ssp. insularis in KI)
Herbarium regions: Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Kangaroo Island, South Eastern
NRM regions: Kangaroo Island, Northern and Yorke, South Australian Murray-Darling Basin, South East
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Prostrate or erect sub-shrub to 30 cm high. Leaves usually crowded, oblong to broadly lanceolate, not spreading to 3 mm long and 1 mm wide, thick, concavo-convex or semi-elliptic, apex obtuse. Flowers solitary in axils, white or pink, to 6 mm across. Flowering between August and November. Fruits are small brown woody capsule to 3 mm diameter with 2 cells.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between November and January. Collect mature capsules, those that are turning brown, hard with non-open valves. Maturing fruits need to be observed as most will naturally release their seed. Place the capsules in a tray and leave to dry for a week or two. This allows the valves on the fruit to open and release the seeds. Separate the seeds by placing all the materials into a bucket and shaking it to dislodge the seeds. Pass the material through a sieve to separate the unwanted material. The finer material will contain both seeds and frass usually distinguishable from each other. With finer sieves, the seeds can be separated from the frass but this is not essential for storage or propagation. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place.