Conospermum taxifolium Variable Smokebush Endemic
At first I didn't recognise this rather small plant as a smoke bush as it was in a habitat surrounded by different species of Epacris of similar height. A close inspection revealed the typical smokebush flower and this one had medium length leaves a few millimetres wide and a flower with three prongs. The other similar species Conospermum ellipticum and Conospermum ericifolium with which it can be confused and which grow in the same area have shorter more regular leaves than this plant. It is usually not much more than 0.5 metres in height and grows in Tasmania and along the east coast of Australia.
The species name taxifolium means the leaves are supposed to be similar to Taxus baccata (Yew) which in my experience are usually shorter than they were on this Smokebush.
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| Conospermum taxifolium Variable Smokebush |
Blue Mountains near Sydney, Eastern Australia, 21st October 2015
Added on 10th November 2015