Pimelea curviflora

Pimelea curviflora is a small understory woody shrub 20–150 cm (7.9–59.1 in) high with soft hairy stems. The yellowish-green leaves are elliptic, lance or egg-shaped 5–20 mm (0.20–0.79 in) long, 2–8 mm (0.079–0.315 in) wide and hairy on both sides. The leaves are arranged in opposite pairs or alternately, on a short petiole and end in a pointed tip. The upper leaf hairs are spreading or flattened then becoming silky, short and somewhat less twisted, upper leaf surface smooth or with shorter hairs. The leaves may be uniformly coloured or vary on the upperside or underneath. The 6-20 compact, green-yellow or sometimes reddish, female or bi-sexual flowers have a floral tube 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) long and flaring at the tips, usually hairy and arranged in heads at the end of branches or in leaf axils. The flower bracts may be absent or not conspicuous, the style 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) long, sometimes shorter in female flowers and the pedicels hairy. The dry, green fruit are 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) long. Flowering occurs from late spring to early summer.^[3][4][5][6]

Pimelea curviflora was first formally described in 1810 Robert Brown and the description was published in Prodromus florae Novae Hollandiae et insulae Van-Diemen, exhibens characteres plantarum quas annis 1802-1805.^[7][8] The specific epithet (curviflora) is derived from the Latin curvi- meaning "curved" and -florus meaning "-flowered".^[9]

Varieties of P. curviflora have been described, and the following have been accepted by the Australian Plant Census:

• Pimelea curviflora var. acuta Threlfall,^[10] a much-branched subshrub 15–50 cm (5.9–19.7 in) high with narrowly elliptic to elliptic leaves 5–15 mm (0.20–0.59 in) long and 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) wide, and clusters of 5 to 14 greenish-yellow flowers 9–10 mm (0.35–0.39 in) long. Flowering occurs from November to February and the fruit is straight.^[11][12]
• Pimelea curviflora R.Br. var. curviflora,^[13] a much-branched shrub or subshrub 20–120 cm (7.9–47.2 in) high with narrowly elliptic to elliptic or lance-shaped leaves 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) long and 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) wide, and clusters of 4 to 12 red to yellow flowers 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) long. Flowering occurs in most months with a peak from October to January, and the fruit is curved.^[14][15]
• Pimelea curviflora var. divergens Threlfall,^[16] a tufted subshrub 20–50 cm (7.9–19.7 in) high with narrowly elliptic leaves 5–22 mm (0.20–0.87 in) long and 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) wide, clusters of 7 to 22 greenish-yellow flowers 5–9 mm (0.20–0.35 in) long. Flowering main occurs from September to January and the fruit is straight.^[17][18]
• Pimelea curviflora var. gracilis (R.Br.) Threlfall,^[19] a shrub 15–50 cm (5.9–19.7 in) high with narrowly elliptic to elliptic, or narrowly egg-shaped to egg-shaped leaves 4–20 mm (0.16–0.79 in) long and 1–6 mm (0.039–0.236 in) wide, clusters of 4 to 22 greenish-yellow flowers 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) long. Flowering occurs from July to January and the fruit is straight, or occasionally curved.^[20][21]
• Pimelea curviflora var. sericea Benth.,^[22] a subshrub 15–30 cm (5.9–11.8 in) high with narrowly elliptic leaves 6–19 mm (0.24–0.75 in) long and 1–7 mm (0.039–0.276 in) wide, clusters of usually 5 to 20 greenish-yellow flowers 6–9 mm (0.24–0.35 in) long. Flowering occurs throughout the year with a peak from October to January, and the fruit is straight.^[23][24]
• Pimelea curviflora var. subglabrata Threlfall,^[25] a subshrub 15–30 cm (5.9–11.8 in) high with linear to narrowly elliptic or lance-shaped leaves 5–11 mm (0.20–0.43 in) long and about 2 mm (0.079 in) wide, clusters of usually 6 to 16 greenish-yellow flowers 5–7 mm (0.20–0.28 in) long, and straight fruit.^[26][27]