Pimelea leptospermoides

Pimelea leptospermoides is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.3–1 m (1 ft 0 in – 3 ft 3 in) and has hairy young stems. The leaves are narrowly egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, to elliptic, 7–22 mm (0.28–0.87 in) long and 2–7 mm (0.079–0.276 in) wide on a petiole 0.7–1 mm (0.028–0.039 in) long. The flowers are arranged singly or in small groups in leaf axils on a densely hairy rachis 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) long. The flowers are white, the floral tube 6–10 mm (0.24–0.39 in) long, the sepals 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) long, the style shorter than the floral tube. Flowering occurs from May to October.[2][3][4]

Pimelea leptospermoides was first formally described in 1869 by Ferdinand von Mueller in Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae from specimens collected near the Tropic of Capricorn by Anthelme Thozet.[5][6]

In 2017, Anthony Bean described two subspecies of P. leptospermoides and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

• Pimelea leptospermoides subsp. bowmanii (F.Muell. ex Benth.) A.R.Bean, (previously known as Pimelea bowmanni F.Muell. ex Benth.)[7] has densely hairy lower leaf surfaces, the hairs 0.8–0.9 mm (0.031–0.035 in) long, and the hairs on the floral tube 0.4–0.6 mm (0.016–0.024 in) long.[4]
• Pimelea leptospermoides F.Muell.) subsp. leptospermoides[8] has sparsely hairy lower leaf surfaces, the hairs 0.25–0.6 mm (0.0098–0.0236 in) long, and the hairs on the floral tube 0.2–0.3 mm (0.0079–0.0118 in) long.[4]

This pimelea grows on stony hillsides and in the understory of shrubby woodland, in serpentine soils from near Marlborough to near Rockhampton in north Queensland.[2][3] Subspecies bowmanni is found west Canoona and subsp. leptospermoides between Canoona and Marlborough.[4]

Pimelea leptospermoides is listed as "vulnerable" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and as "near threatened" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.[2][9]