''Kunzea badjaensis'' is a

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

in the myrtle

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

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 Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to a small area of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

. It is a shrub with egg-shaped leaves and clusters of white flowers near the end of the branches. It grows at high altitudes on the

Southern Tablelands The Southern Tablelands is a Regions of New South Wales, geographic area of New South Wales, Australia, located south-west of Sydney and west of the Great Dividing Range. The area is characterised by Plateau, high, flat country which has gene ...

Description

''Kunzea badjaensis'' is a shrub, often a

prostrate shrub A prostrate shrub is a woody plant, most of the branches of which lie upon or just above the ground, rather than being held erect as are the branches of most trees and shrubs. Background Prostration may occur because the supporting tissues in ste ...

, which grows to a height of about with its branches hairy when young. The leaves are egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, long and wide with a petiole long. The flowers are arranged in rounded heads near the ends of the branches which often continue to grow during flowering. The

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined b ...

lobes are triangular, about long and the

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s are white, long. There are about 30-40

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...

s which are long. Flowering occurs between December and January and the fruit are cup-shaped capsules which are long and about wide.

Taxonomy and naming

''Kunzea badjaensis'' was first formally described in 2016 by

Hellmut R. Toelken Hellmut R. Toelken (born 1939) is a South Australian botanist. He retired in December 2008 from the position of senior biologist at the State Herbarium of South Australia, but remains an honorary research associate. Earlier he was with the Botanic ...

and the description was published in ''

Journal of the Adelaide Botanic Garden The Adelaide Botanic Garden is a public garden at the north-east corner of the Adelaide city centre, in the Adelaide Park Lands. It encompasses a fenced garden on North Terrace (between Lot Fourteen, the site of the old Royal Adelaide Hospital ...

''. 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 ...

(''badjaensis'') is a reference to

Big Badja Hill Big Badja Hill, or Big Badga Mountain, a mountain on the Great Dividing Range, is located in the Southern Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia, north-east of Cooma. With an elevation of above sea level, the mountain is situated on the ...

, one of the places where this species is found. It had previously been known as ''Kunzea sp.'' Wadbilliga (Rodd 6168).

Distribution and habitat

This kunzea grows in heath on the tablelands at altitudes over , mainly in the Kybean Range.

Use in horticulture

Most individuals of ''K. badjaensis'' are low shrubs but a particularly low-growing form has been registered as a cultivar known as ''Kunzea'' 'Badja Carpet'. This horticultural form grows best in well-drained soil in a sunny position.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q65941620 badjaensis Flora of New South Wales Myrtales of Australia Plants described in 2016 Endemic flora of Australia Taxa named by Hellmut R. Toelken