Small-leafed White Beard

Leucopogon microphyllus is a bushy or spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in), its branchlets with fine, bristly hairs. The leaves are egg-shaped leaves, sometimes with the narrower end towards the base, 2.2–7.3 mm (0.087–0.287 in) long and 1.4–2.5 mm (0.055–0.098 in) wide on a petiole up to 0.5 mm (0.020 in) long. The leaves are more or less glabrous, the upper surface convex and the lower surface with more or less parallel veins. The flowers are arranged in erect spikes of mostly four to nine 5–11 mm (0.20–0.43 in) long with bracteoles 1.3–1.8 mm (0.051–0.071 in) long at the base. The sepals are 2.3–2.7 mm (0.091–0.106 in) long, the petals white and joined at the base to form a tube 1.1–1.8 mm (0.043–0.071 in) long with lobes 1.5–2.6 mm (0.059–0.102 in) long and softly-hairy inside. Flowering occurs in most months but mainly from August to October, and the fruit is an oblong drupe 1.2–1.5 mm (0.047–0.059 in) long.

The autonym (var. microphyllus) grows in heath and forest on ridges and hillsides, and is widespread on the coasts and tablelands of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, extending into south-eastern Queensland. It is found at sea level to altitudes of up to 1,200 m (3,900 ft). The variety pilibundus grows in open forest and woodland on ridges and on rocky creek banks on near-coastal areas and tablelands of New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and north-eastern Victoria, with a disjunct population near Lerderderg Gorge. It grows at altitudes of 800–1,200 m (2,600–3,900 ft).

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