Leucopogon newbeyi

Leucopogon newbeyi is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to a small area in the southwest of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with densely hairy young branchlets, linear to narrowly elliptic or narrowly egg-shaped leaves and erect, compact clusters of 7 to 17 white, bell-shaped flowers mainly on the ends of branches.

Description
Leucopogon newbeyi is an erect shrub that typically grows up to about 90 cm high and 70 cm wide, its young branchlets densely covered with straight or curved hairs. The leaves are spirally arranged, linear to narrowly elliptic or narrowly egg-shaped, 3.2–8.4 mm long and 0.8–1.5 mm wide on a yellowish petiole 0.3–0.6 mm long. The edges of the leaves are usually turned down or rolled under, the upper surface glabrous and lower surface hairy but sometimes concealed. The flowers are arranged in groups of 7 to 17, mainly on the ends of branchlets, with egg-shaped bracts 1.3–1.9 mm long, and egg-shaped bracteoles 1.6–2.5 mm long. The sepals are egg-shaped or narrowly egg-shaped and 2.0–3.1 mm long. The petals are white and joined at the base to form a bell-shaped or broadly bell-shaped tube 1.1–1.8 mm long, the lobes widely spreading and curved backwards, 1.7–2.5 mm long and densely bearded. Flowering mainly occurs in July and August and the fruit is an elliptic or oval drupe 2.0–2.4 mm long.

Taxonomy and naming
Leucopogon newbeyi was first formally described in 2012 by Michael Clyde Hislop in the journal Nuytsia from specimens he collected near Ongerup in 2011. The specific epithet (newbeyi) honours Kenneth Newbey.

Distribution and habitat
This leucopogon grows in the understorey of mallee woodland and occurs in a narrow band from near Nyabing to south of Ongerup in the Mallee bioregion of south-western Western Australia.

Conservation status
Leucopogon newbeyi is listed as "Priority Three" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, meaning that it is poorly known and known from only a few locations but is not under imminent threat.