Brachyloma depressum

Brachyloma depressum, commonly known as spreading brachyloma or spreading heath, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a stiff, prickly shrub with sharply-pointed, lance-shaped leaves and white, tube-shaped flowers.

Description

A small shrub. It grows 1-1.5 m high and spreads 1-2 m wide. There are many branches and they are slender and wiry. The leaves are 1.5 cm long. They are alternate and taper to a long sharp point. The flowers are like tubes. They are 0.3 cm long. They occur singly. They are on very short stalks in the axils of leaves. They occur in clusters at the base of flowering branches. The flowers are white. The fruit is fleshy with a hard stone. It has 5 cells.

Edible Uses

The fruit is used for making jams and jellies.

Traditional Uses

The fruit are used for jams and jellies.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a temperate coastal plant. It grows in very well drained light soils. It does best with light shade. It can tolerate frost. Tasmania Herbarium.

Where It Grows

Australia*, Tasmania*,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from cuttings.

Notes

There are 7 Brachyloma species. They grow in Australia.

References (7)

• Cribb, A.B. & J.W., 1976, Wild Food in Australia, Fontana. p 23
• Curtis, W.M., 1963, The Students Flora of Tasmania Vol 2 p 432
• Elliot, W.R., & Jones, D.L., 1982, Encyclopedia of Australian Plants suitable for cultivation. Vol 2. Lothian. p 370
• Low, T., 1991, Wild Food Plants of Australia. Australian Nature FieldGuide, Angus & Robertson. p 128
• Tasmanian Herbarium Vascular Plants list p 25

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