''Cyathodes glauca'', the purple cheeseberry, is a woody shrub or small tree common in

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

, Australia. It belongs to the heath family, Ericaceae. 'Heath' refers to open, shrub-like communities, which survive on well-drained and poor quality soils. The genus name ''Cyathodes'' is in reference to the flower, describing it as 'cup-shaped'. The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''glauca'' is 'glaucous', which means bluish-grey or green, referring to the distinguishable, lighter colour on the underside of the leaves.

Description

The leaves of ''Cyathodes glauca'' are dark green, linear and pointed, 2–4 cm long. They have parallel venation and form false whorls, particularly towards the end of the stem. Undersides are distinctively glaucous. Flowers are numerous, mostly terminal, and solitary in

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

s of final whorl. They are slightly scented, small (1 cm), white and tubular with recurved lobes and protruding anthers. Flowering occurs in spring and early summer. The fruit is a distinctively pink-purple drupe, 1 cm in diameter. Its shape is that of a partially flattened tennis ball.

Distribution

''Cyathodes glauca'' is a widespread and locally common understorey plant in open forest below 1100m (subalpine). It is found almost only in Tasmania, Australia. It inhabits mostly subalpine, sclerophyll woodland or wet sclerophyll forest.

Ecology

Common dominant species that ''Cyathodes glauca'' occurs with are '' Leptospermum scoparium'', ''

Pultenaea daphnoides ''Pultenaea daphnoides'', commonly known as large-leaf bush-pea or large-leaf bitter-pea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is an erect shrub with egg-shaped to wedge-shaped leav ...

'', ''

Monotoca glauca ''Monotoca glauca'', known as goldy wood, is a heath family shrub endemic to Tasmania, Australia and is one of 17 described ''Monotoca'' species. It is a widespread and abundant understory species found on the margins of wet eucalypt forests and ...

'' and ''Acacia'' species. ''Cyathodes glauca'' prefers moist, well-drained and poor quality soil. As a result, it is often found on rocky slopes and boulder fields where clay soils overlay dolerite. Slopes are typically of a southeast aspect with gentle to moderate gradient and good drainage.

Affinities

There are three other known species within the genus ''Cyathodes''. ''Cyathodes platystoma'' (a threatened species) has the largest leaves and is only found in wet sclerophyll forests of the Tasman Peninsula. ''C. straminea'' looks very similar to ''C. glauca'' although it has smaller leaves, dark red drupes and is only found above 1100m. Other recognisable members of the family Ericaceae include blueberries, cranberries and rhododendrons.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5197638 Epacridoideae Flora of Tasmania Trees of Australia Taxa named by Jacques Labillardière