About Prostanthera saxicola R.Br.
Prostanthera saxicola is a prostrate to erect, spreading to compact shrub that usually grows between 0.2 and 2 meters (7.9 inches to 6 feet 6.7 inches) in height. Some of its branches are covered in white hairs flattened against the stem, and have more or less sessile glands. Its leaves are linear to elliptic, between 3 and 15 millimeters (0.12 to 0.59 inches) long and 1 to 6 millimeters (0.039 to 0.236 inches) wide, borne on a petiole up to 1 millimeter (0.039 inches) long. Flowers grow in leaf axils, with 0.5 to 3 millimeter (0.020 to 0.118 inch) long bracteoles at their base. Sepals are 4 to 6 millimeters (0.16 to 0.24 inches) long, forming a tube 2 to 3.5 millimeters (0.079 to 0.138 inches) long with two lobes; the upper lobe is 1.5 to 4 millimeters (0.059 to 0.157 inches) long. Petals are white to mauve and 8 to 15 millimeters (0.31 to 0.59 inches) long. Flowering takes place between July and February. This mintbush is widely distributed from south-eastern Queensland, through eastern New South Wales, and grows in scattered locations across Victoria. It inhabits woodland, forest, and is often found in heath. Variety bracteolata, commonly called slender mint-bush, occurs in south-eastern Queensland and from the Pilliga forest to the Kanangra-Boyd National Park in New South Wales. This is the only variety of Prostanthera saxicola found in Victoria. Variety major grows in heath in south-eastern Queensland and the Gibraltar Range National Park in New South Wales. Variety montana grows in south-eastern New South Wales, and variety saxicola grows in eastern New South Wales.
