Leucopogon rugulosus

Leucopogon rugulosus is a species of flowering plant in the heath family Ericaceae and is endemic to a restricted part of the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with a single stem at ground level, elliptic or egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and erect clusters of three to nine white, tube-shaped flowers.

Description
Leucopogon rugulosus is an erect shrub that typically grows up to 100 cm high and wide, and has a single stem at ground level. The leaves are spirally arranged, usually pointed slightly upwards, elliptic to egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 1.7–3.1 mm long and 1.1–1.7 mm wide on petiole 0.3–0.5 mm long. The upper surface of the leaves is wrinkled and shiny, the lower surface densely hairy, and the edges of the leaves are rolled under. The flowers are arranged in groups of three to nine on the ends of branches and in upper leaf axils, with egg-shaped bracts 0.9–1.3 mm long and egg-shaped bracteoles 1.1–1.7 mm long. The sepals are egg-shaped, 1.9–2.3 mm long, the petals white and joined at the base to form a bell-shaped tube 1.3–1.9 mm long, the lobes 1.7–2.5 mm long and densely bearded on the inner surface. Flowering occurs from May to September and the fruit is a more or less spherical drupe 1.5–1.6 mm long.

Taxonomy and naming
Leucopogon rugulosus was first formally described in 2016 by Michael Clyde Hislop in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected north-west of Esperance in 2002. The specific epithet (rugulosus) means "wrinkled" or "creased", referring to the upper leaf surface.

Distribution and habitat
This leucopogon grows in heath and open mallee woodland in a restricted to an area near Cascade in the Mallee bioregion of south-western Western Australia.

Conservation status
Leucopogon rugulosus is listed as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations that are potentially at risk.