About Baeckea linifolia Rudge
Baeckea linifolia Rudge is an erect shrub that typically reaches 1 to 3 meters (3 feet 3 inches to 9 feet 10 inches) in height, and has branches with drooping tips. Its leaves are linear to nearly cylindrical, 5 to 15 millimeters (0.20 to 0.59 inches) long, and taper at both ends. Flowers grow up to 5 millimeters (0.20 inches) wide, and are arranged singly in leaf axils. Each flower sits on a pedicel 1.5 to 2.0 millimeters (0.059 to 0.079 inches) long, with two linear bracteoles at the base that fall off when the flower opens. The sepal lobes are triangular, and the petals are egg-shaped, white, and 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters (0.059 to 0.098 inches) long. This species has eight to fifteen stamens with curved filaments, none of which sit opposite the petals. The flat-topped ovary has two cells. Flowering occurs through most months of the year, with peak flowering in spring and summer. The fruit is a cup-like capsule around 2 millimeters (0.079 inches) in diameter that holds angular seeds. Common name swamp baeckea, this plant grows in heath in damp locations, often near waterfalls and gullies. It is found along the coast and adjacent ranges from south-east Queensland through New South Wales to the Cann River in north-eastern Victoria, where it is rare. Plants growing in Victoria typically have smaller, more rigid leaves than those found in New South Wales and Queensland, and this population was previously classified as Baeckea linifolia var. brevifolia F.Muell. ex Benth. In horticulture, this baeckea is fairly well known in cultivation. It is a hardy plant when grown in well-drained soil in a sunny or partially shaded position. Once established, it has moderate tolerance to frost and drought.
