About Rinzia orientalis Rye
Rinzia orientalis Rye is a shrub that typically grows 20 to 75 cm tall, and is usually single-stemmed at its base. Its leaves are elliptic to narrowly oblong, measuring 1.4–5 mm in length, 0.5–0.7 mm in width, and 0.4–0.6 mm in thickness, attached to a petiole 0.2–0.3 mm long. Flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils, are 5–8 mm wide, and grow on a pedicel 0.8–1.5 mm long. The flowers have bracteoles 1.0–1.5 mm long that drop off as the flower opens. It has five dark red sepals with white edges, each 0.8–1.3 mm long, and five white or pale pink petals, each 2.2–3.1 mm long. There are usually ten stamens, and the style measures 0.8–2.2 mm long. Flowering occurs mainly from August to November. The fruit is 2.0–2.5 mm in diameter, and contains kidney-shaped seeds. This species, commonly known as desert myrtle-heath, grows in mallee scrub on sand dunes and sandplains. Its distribution ranges from the Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island in South Australia, to south-western New South Wales, and extends to near Ballarat in Victoria.
