''Homoranthus croftianus'', commonly known as Bolivia homoranthus, is a plant in the myrtle family

Myrtaceae Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All speci ...

and is endemic to a small area near

Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...

in northern New South Wales. It is an upright shrub with pointed leaves arranged in alternating opposite pairs so they form four rows along the branchlets. Single greenish to cream-coloured flowers are borne in leaf

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 ...

Description

Flowers and fruits sporadically throughout the year, primarily in October-January.

Taxonomy and naming

''Homoranthus croftianus'' was first formally described in 1998 by John Hunter from a specimen collected in the Bolivia Range. The description was published in '' Telopea''. 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 ...

(''croftianus'') honours Peter Croft, a National Parks and Wildlife Service ranger.

Distribution and habitat

Endemic to Bolivia Hill Nature Reserve, 40km southerly direction from Tenterfield New South Wales. It grows on shallow sandy soils in heath and shrubby woodland on or adjacent to granite outcrops.

Conservation status

Highly restricted distribution. A ROTAP conservation code of 2VCit appropriate using Briggs and Leigh (1996) criteria. IUCN (2010) considered vulnerable.

References

{{Taxonbar, from= Q15367899 Flora of New South Wales Myrtales of Australia croftianus Plants described in 1998