(click images to see larger ones)
Blue Mountains Wildflowers
Boronias, Guinea Flowers & Heaths

Pink Swamp Heath
Boronias (Family Rutaceae) includes the Boronia, Correa, Leionema, Phebalium and Zieria. It also includes
citrus fruit.
A principal factor in identifying Guinea Flowers is the number and position of their stamens and carpels. For example the Blue Mountains Guinea Flower
has about 16 yellow stamens and two green carpels.
Heaths. Family Epacridaceae, or Southern Heaths, has recently been absorbed into the Family Ericaceae (Northern Heaths). Northern Heaths includes Rhododendrons and Azaleas.
Index to our collection -
Family Rutaceae
There's an estimated 50 species of the Rutaceae family in the Blue Mountains.
Boronia genus
The fragrance from Boronias comes from the oil in the leaves - and this requires a sunny day for it to be released. There's an estimated 16 Boronia species in the Blue Mountains. Unlike most members of the Rutaceae family, Boronias have 4 petals - as do Zierias.
Small Leaved Boronia
Boronia microphylla
Flowering in spring and summer, the shape of its leaves characterise this small plant.
Here's another
image.
Stiff Boronia
Boronia rigens
Tiny white flowers barely 5mm across, and usually not fully opened, help identify this plant. However, one needs to look closely to see the 8 stamens which characterise Boronias.
Here's another
image.
Sydney Boronia
Boronia ledifolia
Flowering in late winter through spring, its stems are a rusty colour.
Its sepals help identify it.
It is also known as the Ledum Boronia.
Here's another
image.
Pale Pink Boronia
Boronia floribunda
Producing a mass of soft pink to white flowers in spring and early summer.
This
image shows a close up of the flower and the distinctive leaves.
Deane's Boronia
Boronia deanei subsp.
deanei
This threatened species is classed as "vulnerable" and is restricted to the Blue Mountains & Kanangra-Boyd area.
Here's another
image and
image.
Narrow-leaved Boronia
Boronia anemonifoliasubsp.
anemonifolia
Recognised by its shiny narrow fork like leaves, it is also known as Sticky Boronia.
The flowers are about 1cm across.
Here's another
image.
Other genera of the family Rutaceae
Wax Flower
Philotheca obovalis
Previously known as Eriostemon obovalis, it is easily identified by its warty heart shaped leaves - although only warty on the underside.
The flowers are 20 mm wide and appear in Spring.
Rough Wax Plant
Philotheca hispidula
Its 25mm long leaves that have
rough edges ("glandular-crenate") and a bent tip ("mucronate") identify it.
Previously known as
Eriostemon hispidulus.
Here's another
image.
Leionema genus
Leionema lachnaeoides
This endangered plant is only found in exposed areas of the upper Blue Mountains. Its stunning flowers are about 10mm across.
Its revolute (tightly recurved)
leaves help identify it.
Here's another
image and an
image that shows a pollinator.
Shiny Phebalium
Leionema lamprophyllumsubsp.
orbiculare
Identified by its circular warty leaves - as shown in this
image.
It grows in exposed ridges between Dunns Swamp and Newnes Plateau.
Zieria genus
Coveny's Zieria
Zieria covenyi
This endangered species is only found on the Narrow Neck Plateau in the Blue Mountains National Park.
Guinea Flowers - family Dilleniaceae - genus
Hibbertia
The Dilleniaceae family is only represented by the Hibbertia genus in the Blue Mountains - but there are over 20 species. The name Guinea Flower comes from the gold guinea coin.
Erect Guinea Flower
Hibbertia riparia
This small Guinea Flower is common in the Upper Blue Mountains.
It is identified by its 4 yellow
stamens, 2 green
carpels and
leaves having two grooves running along their lower surface.
Thyme Guinea Flower
Hibbertia serpyllifolia
It has 12 stamens and 3 carpels, but is best identified by its 5mm narrow recurved warty leaves.
I imagine it gets its name from the similarity its
leaves have to the younger leaves of the
Common Thyme.
Leafy Guinea Flower
Hibbertia monogyna
It has 10-12 stamens and 1 carpel, but is best identified by its recurved point at the end of the leaves - as more clearly shown in this
image.
Golden Guinea Flower
Hibbertia scandens
One of several climbing guinea flowers, it is recognised by its large flower - up to 9cm wide. It has 30+ stamens and 3-7 carpels.
The edges of its leaves can be either smooth or toothed - as shown on this
image.
Grey Guinea Flower
Hibbertia obtusifolia
An erect shrub to 60cm tall, its
grey hairy foliage and hairy branches identify it.
It has over 30 stamens and 3 carpels.
It's also known as the Hoary Guinea Flower.
Tall Guinea Flower
Hibbertia saligna
A shrub to 2m tall, its furry
leaves help identify it.
It has 20 to 30 stamens and 3 carpels.
Here's another
image.
Blue Mountains
Guinea Flower
Hibbertia bracteata
An erect shrub about 1m tall.
It has around 16 stamens and 2 carpels.
Its hairy bracts and the mucro at the end of its leaves, as shown in this
image, help identify it.
Heaths (family Ericaceae)
There's over 60 species of the Ericaceae family in the Blue Mountains.
The most common genus is the Epacris genus with 18 species, followed by the Leucopogon genus with 14.
Epacris genus
The Common Heath (Epacris impressa) is Victoria's floral emblem.
It is most probably not found as far north as the Blue Mountains.
NSW Coral Heath
Epacris pulchella
Flowering from late summer to early Autumn with usually white flowers, but occasionally light pink, characterise this stunning plant.
It is also known as the Wallum Heath.
Coral Heath
Epacris microphylla
Flowering in spring, it has tightly grouped 3mm wide flowers that cover the erect branch.
Here's another
image.
Fuchsia Heath
Epacris reclinata
This plant can be found in shade or full sun rooted into rock crevices. Its 15mm long flowers appear from mid winter through to early summer.
Blunt-leaf Heath
Epacris obtusifolia
A hardy plant that thrives in exposed heath. Identified by the blunted tip to its leaves.
Swamp Heath
Epacris paludosa
Its hairy branches and distinctive 10mm long lance like
leaves help to identify it.
It is also known as the Alpine Heath.
Keeled Heath
Epacris rigida
Distinguished from
E. muelleri by the keel under its 3mm finely toothed
leaves.
Here's another
image.
Leucopogon genus
Leucopogons are easily recognised by their hairy mouths.
Lance Beard-heath
Leucopogon lanceolatus
var. lanceolatus
The spikes of flowers in spring and the 3 to 5 prominent veins on its
leaves identifies this plant.
Here's an
image of its fruit.
Blunt Beard-heath
Leucopogon muticus
Its longer wider recurved leaves help identify it. As does the usual blunt end to its leaves - most
Leucopogons tend to come to a point.
Its flowers are borne on spikes.
Here's another
image.
Leucopogon setiger
Identified by its leaves at right-angles to its branches and its one or two flowers on a longer peduncle (stalk).
Here's an
image with a pollinator, and its erect pungent leaves.
Pink Beard-heath
Leucopogon ericoides
Just a hint of pink - but not enough to identify it.
Its recurved pungent leaves that are at 45° to the branch and more than two flowers on a short stalk is a good indicator.
Here's an
image with a pollinator.
Other heath genera
Pink Swamp Heath
Sprengelia incarnata
Flowering in winter and spring, the second layer of five petals are sepals.
Snow Wreath
Woollsia pungens
Flowering in late winter, its 10mm wide flowers have a strong fragrance.
Also recognised by the ripples on its petals.
This is the only species in this genus.
Daphne Heath
Brachyloma daphnoides
Its name is due to the fragrance of the flowers. The red tip of its leaves helps identify it.
Necklace Heath
Dracophyllum secundum
This spring flowering heath is easily recognised by its red flower stem and leaves. Each flower is about 10mm in length.
Red Five Corners
Styphelia tubiflora
Its red flowers make this plant stand out in winter. The flowers are 20mm long, and the pointy leaves are sharp.
Prickly Broom Heath
Monotoca scoparia
Identified by the veins under its pointed leaves and that its flowers don't have a beard like the
Leucopogons.
Here's another
image.
Rock Sprengelia
Sprengelia monticola
This species is only found in sheltered damp cliff faces in the upper Blue Mountains. Its flowers are 10-12mm wide.
Here's another
image, and
another and
another.
(Too good to leave in the bottom drawer.)