Desert Baeckea

Rinzia orientalis is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 20–75 cm (7.9–29.5 in) and is usually single-stemmed at the base. The leaves are elliptic to narrowly oblong, 1.4–5 mm (0.055–0.197 in) long, 0.5–0.7 mm (0.020–0.028 in) long and 04–0.6 mm (0.157–0.024 in) thick on a petiole 0.2–0.3 mm (0.0079–0.0118 in) long. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils and are 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) wide, borne on a pedicel 0.8–1.5 mm (0.031–0.059 in) long with bracteoles 1.0–1.5 mm (0.039–0.059 in) long but that fall off as the flower opens. The five sepals are dark red with a white edge, 0.8–1.3 mm (0.031–0.051 in) long and the five petals are white or pale pink and 2.2–3.1 mm (0.087–0.122 in) long. There are usually ten stamens and the style is 0.8–2.2 mm (0.031–0.087 in) long. Flowering mainly occurs from August to November and the fruit is 2.0–2.5 mm (0.079–0.098 in) in diameter containing kidney-shaped seeds.

Desert myrtle-heath grows in mallee scrub on sand dunes and sandplains from the Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island in South Australia to south-western New South Wales and to near Ballarat in Victoria.

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