Lissanthe sapida

Native cranberry
Nepean Gorge, Australia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Ericales
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Lissanthe
Species: L. sapida
Binomial name
Lissanthe sapida
R.Br.

Lissanthe sapida, sometimes referred as the native cranberry is a shrub from the heath family, found near Sydney, Australia. A rare plant, with a ROTAP rating of 3RCa, it grows in dry eucalyptus woodlands and rocky areas, of soils based on sandstone.[1]

It usually grows to about 1 m tall, though it may be seen to 2.5 m. Leaves are narrow oblong, around 15 to 25 mm long, 2 to 4 mm wide, with a sharp point. It flowers from March to September, with attractive white, bell-shaped, hanging flowers. The juicy fruit is round, red, and hairless with a flat top.

It may be seen in areas such as Bargo, Blackheath, Mountain Lagoon, and the Nepean Gorge.[2]

This plant first appeared in the scientific literature in 1810, in the Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae, authored by the prolific Scottish botanist, Robert Brown.

References

  1. "'Lissanthe sapida, PlantNET - NSW Flora Online". Retrieved 2011-06-04.
  2. Native Plants of the Sydney District - Alan Fairley & Philip Moore ISBN 0-7318-1031-7, page 91


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