Common name: Victorian Christmas Bush
Prostanthera rupicola B.J.Conn & K.M.Proft APNI* 
Description: Small tree to 3 metres tall. Branchlets sparsely to moderately hairy on ridges, hairs antrorse, moderately to densely glandular.
Leaves glabrous or with an occasional hair, green above, paler below; petiole to 6.5–13 mm long; lamina slightly narrowly ovate to narrowly elliptic, 28.5–76 mm long, 9.5–17.5 mm wide, moderately glandular with sessile glands most distinctive on the abaxial surface, base cuneate, margin slightly recurved, irregularly toothed with 10–14 teeth per side, apex obtuse and often ending with a small tooth, venation faint; aromatic when crushed.
Inflorescence compound, with 8–20 flowers; pherophylls not persistent, ovate to elliptic, 2.8–3 mm long. Pedicel 1–1.5 mm long. Prophylls persistent, narrowly ovate to oblong, often appearing linear, 2.5–3 mm long, 0.5–0.7 mm wide. Calyx green, densely covered by spreading, antrorse or retrorse hairs, moderately glandular, tube 2.6–3 mm long, abaxial lobe 2.8–3.4 mm long, adaxial lobe c. 2 mm long. Corolla 10–14 mm long, very pale mauve, often almost white, markings not recorded. Stamens 5.7–6.9, connective appendage 1.8–2 mm long.
Fruiting calyx not larger that flowering calyx (not accrescent). Mericarps 2–2.5 mm long.
Flowering: Late November, end of flowering period unknown.
Distribution and occurrence: Bluff River Nature Reserve (NSW) north to Girraween National Park (Qld) and surrounding regions. NSW subdivisions: NT. Eucalyptus scoparia forest amongst granite boulders and outcrops.
NSW subdivisions: NT
Other Australian states: Qld
Text by T.C.Wilson
Taxon concept: Conn BJ, Henwood MJ, Proft KM, Scott JA, Wilson TC, Howes RS (2021) An integrative taxonomic approach resolves the Prostanthera lasianthos (Lamiaceae) species complex. Australian Systematic Botany 34(5) 438–476
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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