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Darwinia is a genus of between 30-60 species of evergreen shrubs in the family Myrtaceae, endemic to southeastern and southwestern Australia. The majority are native to southern Western Australia, but a few species occur in South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. The genus was named in honour of Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles Darwin.

The species of Darwinia grow to between 20-300 cm high, with many of the smaller species being prostrate. The leaves are opposite in decussate pairs (alternate in some species), simple, small, needle-like to oval, 4-20 mm long and 2-10 mm broad, mostly hard with a leathery texture. The flowers are grouped singly or several together, perfect, 2-30 mm long, with five red, white or greenish petals and ten stamens.

They are difficult to propagate from seed but can be cultivated from cuttings.

Many species in the genus Darwinia are threatened with extinction, being listed as Endangered or Vulnerable on the Australian National List of Threatened Flora. Land clearing and grazing practices have reduced the areas where Darwinia species grow naturally. Recovery is hindered by drought, changed fire regimes and susceptiblity to infection by the oomycete Phytophthora cinnamomi which kills the plants.

List of species

• Darwinia acerosa (endangered)
• Darwinia apiculata (endangered)
• Darwinia biflora (vulnerable)
• Darwinia carnea (endangered)
• Darwinia chapmaniana (endangered)
• Darwinia citriodora
• Darwinia collina (endangered)
• Darwinia diosmoides
• Darwinia fascicularis
• Darwinia ferricola (endangered)
• Darwinia glaucophylla
• Darwinia homoranthoides
• Darwinia hypericifolia
• Darwinia lejostyla
• Darwinia macrostegia (vulnerable)
• Darwinia masonii (vulnerable)
• Darwinia meeboldii (vulnerable)
• Darwinia oxylepis (endangered)
• Darwinia squarrosa (vulnerable)
• Darwinia taxifolia
• Darwinia thymoides
• Darwinia vestita
• Darwinia wittwerorum (endangered)
• Darwinia sp. (Carnamah) (endangered)
• Darwinia sp. (Stirling Range) (vulnerable)
• Darwinia sp. (Williamson) (endangered)

External links

• FloraBase - Flora of Western Australia: Darwinia
• Australian National List of Threatened Flora
• Phillimore, R, Evans, R and Brown, A. 2001. The Interim Recovery Plan Gillham's Bell (Darwinia oxylepis) 2001-2003
• Australian Plants Online - Darwinia and related genera