''Tetratheca'' is a genus of around 50 to 60 species of shrubs endemic to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. It is classified in the botanical family Elaeocarpaceae, now known to encompass the family Tremandraceae, which the genus originally belonged to. It occurs throughout extratropical Australia, and has been recorded in every mainland state except the Northern Territory.

Origin and evolution

The origin of the genus is thought to be south-western Western Australia, radiating eastward. The distribution of ''Tetratheca'' is mainly across the temperate southern part of the continent. Most species are localised endemics and are highly disjunct from each other. Very few are widespread across Australia; none occurs in the Nullarbor Plain and only seven are found on both the western and the south-eastern sides. (McPherson, 2008). The formation of the Nullarbor is thought to have created a barrier to dispersal between the east and west. It is estimated that the family Elaeocarpaceae is 120 million years old and Tetratheca estimated to be around 37 to 39 million years old, with major diversification over the Miocene and evolving much faster than their relatives, many of which are rainforest species. This coincides with the rapid radiation and diversification of other sclerophyllous groups.

Species

Species include: *''

Tetratheca affinis ''Tetratheca affinis'' is a species of plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as an erect, open and leafless shrub to 10–70 cm (occasionally up to a metre) in height. The pink-purple ...

'' Endl. *''

Tetratheca aphylla ''Tetratheca aphylla'', also known as the Bungalbin Tetratheca, is a species of flowering plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Subspecies * ''Tetratheca aphylla'' subsp. ''aphylla'' * ''Tetratheca aphylla'' subsp. ''mega ...

'' F.Muell. - Bungalbin tetratheca *''

Tetratheca bauerifolia ''Tetratheca bauerifolia'', commonly known as heath pink-bells, is a flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a small compact shrub with pink-mauve flowers. Description ''Tetratheca bauerifolia'' is ...

'' F.Muell. ex Schuch. - heath pink-bells *''

Tetratheca ciliata ''Tetratheca ciliata'', commonly known as pink bells, is a small shrub in the family Elaeocarpaceae. It is endemic to southern Australia. It is a small shrub which may grow up to 100 cm high. Deep lilac pink flowers appear between October a ...

'' Lindl. - pink-bells *''

Tetratheca confertifolia ''Tetratheca confertifolia'' is a species of flowering plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as an erect (rarely decumbent) shrub to 10–30 cm in height. The pink or white flowers appea ...

'' Steetz *''

Tetratheca decora ''Tetratheca decora'', also known as black-eyed susan, is a species of plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a small, erect shrub to 30–40 cm in height. The deep lilac-pink flowers ...

'' Joy Thomps. *''

Tetratheca deltoidea ''Tetratheca deltoidea'', also known as granite tetratheca, is a species of plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a scrambling shrub to 1 m in height. The oval leaves are 13 m ...

'' Joy Thomps. *'' Tetratheca efoliata'' F.Muell. *''

Tetratheca elliptica ''Tetratheca setigera'' is a species of plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as an erect or diffuse shrub to 20–80 cm in height. The pink-purple flowers appear from August to December ...

'' Joy Thomps. *''

Tetratheca ericifolia ''Tetratheca ericifolia'' is a species of flowering plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a diffuse or compact shrub to 15–40 cm in height, and with stems covered with pale brown br ...

'' Sm. *''

Tetratheca erubescens ''Tetratheca erubescens'' is a species of flowering plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Etymology The specific epithet ''erubescens'' (‘blushing’) refers to the appearance of the flowers. Description The species g ...

'' J.P.Bull *''

Tetratheca exasperata ''Tetratheca exasperata'' is a species of flowering plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a small shrub to 10–35 cm in height, with dark pink to pink-purple flowers. Distribution ...

'' R.Butcher *''

Tetratheca fasciculata ''Tetratheca fasciculata'', also known as Cronin's Tetratheca, is an extinct species of plant in the quandong family that was endemic to Australia. Description The species grew as a compact shrub less than 20 cm in height. The flowers we ...

'' Joy Thomps. - Cronin's tetratheca *''

Tetratheca filiformis ''Tetratheca filiformis'' is a species of flowering plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a diffuse to prostrate shrub to 40 cm in height. The flowers are pink-purple, appearing from Oc ...

'' Benth. *'' Tetratheca glandulosa'' Sm. *''

Tetratheca gunnii ''Tetratheca gunnii'', commonly known as shy susan, is a perennial herb in the family Elaeocarpaceae. It is endemic to the foothills of the Dazzler Range near Beaconsfield in Tasmania. It grows to between 15 and 50 cm high and has leaves tha ...

'' Hook.f. - shy susan *''

Tetratheca halmaturina ''Tetratheca halmaturina'', also known as curly pink-bells, is a species of plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a compact shrub, usually to 20 cm (sometimes up to 50 cm) in hei ...

'' J.M.Black - curly pink-bells *''

Tetratheca harperi ''Tetratheca harperi'', also known as Jackson Tetratheca, is a species of flowering plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a multi-stemmed shrub to 20–40 cm in height. The tiny leave ...

'' F.Muell. - Jackson tetratheca *''

Tetratheca hirsuta ''Tetratheca hirsuta'', commonly known as black-eyed Susan, is a small shrub in the family Elaeocarpaceae. Endemic to the south-west of Western Australia, it is not related to other plants known as black-eyed Susan around the world. Appearance ' ...

'' Lindl. - black-eyed susan *''

Tetratheca hispidissima ''Tetratheca hispidissima'' is an erect spreading or straggling shrub in the family Elaeocarpaceae. It is endemic to Western Australia. It grows from 0.3 m to 0.8 m high, on sandy, clayey and gravel soils on river flats and on lateritic ridges. ...

'' Steetz *''

Tetratheca insularis ''Tetratheca insularis'' is a species of plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a compact shrub, usually to 20 cm (sometimes up to 60 cm) in height. The oval leaves are 3–8&n ...

'' Joy Thomps. *'' Tetratheca juncea'' Sm. *''

Tetratheca labillardierei ''Tetratheca labillardierei'', also known as Glandular Pink-Bells, is a species of plant in the Elaeocarpaceae, quandong Family (biology), family that is endemism, endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a compact, erect shrub ...

'' Joy Thomps. *''

Tetratheca neglecta ''Tetratheca neglecta'' is a species of plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a compact or diffuse shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial wo ...

'' Joy Thomps. *''

Tetratheca nephelioides ''Tetratheca nephelioides'' is a species of plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a small, erect, clumped shrub to 40 cm in height and 80 cm wide. The deep mauve to magenta fl ...

'' R.Butcher *''

Tetratheca nuda ''Tetratheca nuda'' is a species of flowering plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a slender, leafless shrub to 10–40 cm in height. The pink or white flowers appear from August to ...

'' Lindl. *''

Tetratheca parvifolia ''Tetratheca parvifolia'' is a species of plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a small shrub to 20–30 cm in height. The pink flowers appear in October. Distribution and habita ...

'' Joy Thomps. *''

Tetratheca paucifolia ''Tetratheca paucifolia'' is a species of plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a leafless or sparsely-leaved, multistemmed shrub to 10–45 cm in height. The pink flowers appear from ...

'' Joy Thomps. *''

Tetratheca paynterae ''Tetratheca paynterae'', also known as Paynter's Tetratheca, is a species of plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. There are two recognised subspecies. Subspecies * ''T. paynterae'' subsp. ''paynterae'' * ''T. paynterae' ...

'' Alford *''

Tetratheca phoenix ''Tetratheca phoenix'' is a species of flowering plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a small shrub to 25 cm in height, with dark pink-magenta flowers. Distribution and habitat ...

'' R.Butcher *''

Tetratheca pilata ''Tetratheca pilata'' is a species of plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a small multistemmed shrub to 20–30 cm in height, with pale pink flowers. Distribution and habitat T ...

'' R.Butcher *''

Tetratheca pilifera ''Tetratheca pilifera'' is a species of flowering plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a spreading shrub to 10–30 cm in height. The purple flowers appear from August to October. D ...

'' Lindl. *''

Tetratheca pilosa ''Tetratheca pilosa'' is a flowering plant in the family Elaeocarpaceae, endemic to Australia. It is a small shrub found in dry sclerophyll forests, open heathlands and woodlands of Australia. It was first recorded in 1805 by French botanist Jacq ...

'' Labill. - hairy pink-bells *''

Tetratheca procumbens ''Tetratheca procumbens'', also known as mountain pink-bells, is a species of flowering plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a small, procumbent to weakly ascending shrub to 5–30&nb ...

'' Hook.f. - mountain pink-bells *''

Tetratheca pubescens ''Tetratheca pubescens'' is a species of flowering plant in the Elaeocarpaceae family that is endemic to Australia. It grows as a slender shrub to 60 cm in height. The flowers are white, pink or purple. It grows within the Esperance P ...

'' Turcz. *''

Tetratheca remota ''Tetratheca remota'' is a species of plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a small, slender shrub to 40 cm in height. The pink flowers appear in November. Distribution and habitat ...

'' Joy Thomps. *'' Tetratheca retrorsa'' Joy Thomps. *''

Tetratheca rubioides ''Tetratheca rubioides'' is a species of flowering plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a compact shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial w ...

'' A.Cunn. *''

Tetratheca rupicola ''Tetratheca rupicola'' is a species of plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a compact or diffuse shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial wo ...

'' Joy Thomps. *''

Tetratheca setigera ''Tetratheca setigera'' is a species of plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as an erect or diffuse shrub to 20–80 cm in height. The pink-purple flowers appear from August to Decem ...

'' Endl. *''

Tetratheca shiressii ''Tetratheca shiressii'' is a species of flowering plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a small, ascending or decumbent shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-me ...

'' Blakely *'' Tetratheca similis'' Joy Thomps. *''

Tetratheca stenocarpa ''Tetratheca stenocarpa'', commonly known as long pink-bells, is a small shrub in the family Elaeocarpaceae. It is endemic to Victoria in Australia. Description It is a prostrate or weeping small shrub which grows to between 1 and 1.5 metres ...

'' J.H.Willis - long pink-bells *''

Tetratheca subaphylla ''Tetratheca subaphylla'', also known as leafless pink-bells, is a species of flowering plant in the quandong family that is endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a straggling or semi-prostrate shrub A shrub (often ...

'' Benth. - leafless pink-bells *''

Tetratheca thymifolia ''Tetratheca thymifolia'', commonly known as black-eyed Susan or thyme pink-bells, is a small shrub in the family Elaeocarpaceae found in southeastern Australia. It was first described by English botanist James Edward Smith in 1804. Its specie ...

'' Sm. - black-eyed susan, thyme pink-bells *''

Tetratheca virgata ''Tetratheca virgata'' is a species of plant in the Elaeocarpaceae, quandong Family (biology), family that is endemism, endemic to Australia. Description The species grows as a slender, spreading shrub to 10–45 cm in height. The pink-p ...

'' Steetz

References

Oxalidales of Australia Elaeocarpaceae genera {{Australia-rosid-stub