Erica arborea L.

Shrub or small tree to c. 5 m high. Shoots densely hairy or puberulent with copious echinate hairs, especially on young main shoots, occasionally hairs almost simple and very short. Lvs in whorls of 3–4, 3–7 mm long; margins revolute, contiguous and entirely concealing undersurface; apparent or false margin sometimes with hairs giving a serrulate appearance, otherwise lf glabrous; petiole very short. Fls in lateral racemes; racemes often densely arranged so appearing as a terminal panicle. Pedicels 2–3 mm long, glabrous. Bracteoles c. 1 mm long, linear to lanceolate, whitish, inserted on lower 1/2 of pedicel, not reaching calyx, ciliate. Calyx 1–2 mm long, whitish; lobes ovate, ciliolate, obtuse, 2–3× length of tube. Corolla 2.5–4 mm long, urceolate-campanulate, white, glabrous; lobes c. 1 mm long, erect, very broadly ovate. Stamens included; anthers c. 1 mm long, rose or crimson; awns short, echinate or plumose. Style exserted; stigma broad-capitate. Capsule c. 2 mm long, ± broad-oblong, glabrous.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4.]

Flowering: Jul.–Dec.