Kunzea flavescens is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to Queensland. It is a spreading shrub which has egg-shaped leaves and groups of white or cream-coloured flowers on the ends of the branches in September and October.
Kunzea flavescens is a spreading shrub, sometimes a small tree which usually grows to a height of about 3sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 but sometimes to 7sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1. The leaves are arranged alternately along the branches and are oblong to lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base. They are mostly NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide on a pedicel less than 1sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long. The leaves are flat, slightly hairy when young and have more than sixty oil glands visible on the lower surface. The flowers are white or cream-coloured and arranged in rounded groups of eight to fifteen flowers on the ends of the branches. There are egg-shaped bracts which are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and about 2sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide and smaller paired bracteoles at the base of each flower. The floral cup is NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long and hairy. The sepals are triangular, about NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and hairy on their edges. The petals are oblong to egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, about NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and there are about fifty stamens NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, in several rows. Flowering occurs mainly in September and October and is followed by fruit which an urn-shaped capsule about 5sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long.[1] [2]
Kunzea flavescens was first formally described in 1922 by Cyril White and William Francis from a specimen found near Crows Nest by Frederick Hamilton Kenny. The description was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland.[3] The specific epithet (flavescens) is a Latin word meaning "slightly yellow".[4]
Growing on rocky ridges in heath and open woodland, K. flavenscens occurs in a few areas in south-east Queensland including near Crows Nest and Biggenden Bluff in the Mount Walsh National Park.[5]
Kunzea flavescens is classified as "Least Concern" under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992.