Botanical Name: Styphelia tubiflora
Common Name: Red Five-corner
Family: Epacridaceae
Meaning:
Styphelia: From Greek for dense, referring to the dense habit of some species.
tubiflora: From Latin, meaning tubular-flowered.
Habitat: Heath and woodland on sandstone.
Habit: Shrub to 80cm.
Leaves: Sharply pointed, narrow.
Flowers: Red, sometimes pink, tubular, drooping. Attracts honey eating birds which are it’s main pollinators.
Flowering time: April – September.
Fruit: Greenish red berry with distinct ribs, attributing to the name “Five-corner”. Fruit is edible and was eaten in Colonial times.
Range: Sydney and Blue Mountains to Jervis Bay.
Fairly common in sheltered understories in The Hills Shire on sandstone.
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