Micromyrtus helmsii

Micromyrtus helmsii is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to inland areas of Australia. It is a slender, erect or spreading shrub with overlapping, decussate, oblong leaves, and flowers with about 7 stamens, arranged singly in leaf axils.

Description
Micromyrtus helmsii is a slender or spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.9–1.5 m and has slender branchlets. Its leaves are overlapping, decussate, oblong, 1.5–3.5 mm long and about 1 mm wide and keeled with several conspicuous oil glands visible on the lower surface. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils on a peduncle up to 1.5 mm long. The sepals are more or less round, 0.8 mm long and 1 mm wide and the petals are larger than the sepals and 1.5 mm in diameter. There are about 7 stamens, the filaments about 0.5 mm long. Flowering has been recorded in September.

Taxonomy
This species was first formally described in 1896 by Ferdinand von Mueller and Ralph Tate, who gave it the name Thriptomene helmsii in Transactions, proceedings and report, Royal Society of South Australia from specimens collected in the Great Victoria Desert. In 1980, John Green transferred the species to the genus Micromyrtus as M. helmsii. The specific epithet (helmsii) honours Richard Helms.

Distribution
Micromyrtus helmsii is only known from the type location in inland Western Australia.

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