Distribution ĭarwinias are found in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. They have been given informal names such as Darwinia sp. Ībout 30 species of Darwinia have been discovered but not yet formally described. George Bentham undertook a review of the genus in 1865 when he described 23 species in Flora Australiensis (although the species he named Darwinia verticordina is now known as Verticordia verticordina). There are about 70 species but many have not been formally described. Rudge published his description in Transactions of the Linnean Society of London.

The genus Darwinia was first formally described by Edward Rudge in 1816 and the type species is Darwinia fascicularis. The fruit is a non-fleshy nut which retains the (usually one) seed at maturity. The style projects beyond the flower and has a groups of hairs near the stigma. There are 10 stamens which alternate with 10 staminodes, all of which are enclosed by the petals so that they are not visible in an intact flower. The flowers have five, usually very small sepals and 5 petals which enclose the stamens and may be white or coloured. The flowers are arranged near the ends of the branches and are usually surrounded by leaf-like green bracts and larger, usually coloured bracteoles. The leaves are usually arranged in opposite pairs and are simple, small, needle-like to oval and contain essential oils.

In many species, the flowers are surrounded by large, colourful bracts, giving rise to their common names.ĭarwinia species are prostrate to erect, woody shrubs growing to a height of 0.2 and 3 m (0.7 and 10 ft). Most have small, simple leaves and the flowers are often grouped together, each flower with five red, white or greenish petals and ten stamens. Most darwinias grow to a height of between 0.2 and 3 m (0.7 and 10 ft), and many are prostrate shrubs. The genus was named in honour of Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles Darwin by Edward Rudge in 1816. The majority are native to southern Western Australia, but a few species occur in South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria. Hedaroma ( Lindl.) Benth.ĭarwinia, sometimes commonly known as mountain bells or simply bells, is a genus of about 70 species of evergreen shrubs in the family Myrtaceae, endemic to southeastern and southwestern Australia.

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