Boronia spathulata

Boronia spathulata is a glabrous shrub that grows to a height of about 1 m (3 ft 3 in) and has well-spaced, narrow elliptic to broadly egg-shaped leaves that are 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long. Leaves near the ends of the branchlets are usually more or less cylindrical. The flowers are arranged in cymes that have a short peduncle, the individual flowers on a red pedicel that has small bracts at its base. The side flowers have a pedicel 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long. There are four triangular to egg-shaped sepals 2.5–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and four pink, egg-shaped petals 6–9 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long. The eight stamens are hairy with a small white tip on the anther and the stigma is only slightly larger than the style. Flowers are present in most months.[2][3]

Boronia spathulata was first formally described in 1839 by John Lindley and the description was published in A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony.[4][5] The specific epithet (spathulata) is derived from the Latin word spathe meaning "any broad blade, paddle for stirring and mixing".[6]

This boronia grows in sand near swamps or rivers and in jarrah forest. It occurs between Perth and Augusta and east to Israelite Bay.[2][3][7]

Boronia spathulata is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.[3]