Australian Plants Society (Victoria)

The 15th FJC Rogers Seminar is focussed on Australian Heaths, and will be hosted by Australian Plants Society (APS) Mornington Peninsula District Group.

What are Epacrids? 

Hold onto your brains, here’s some taxonomy!   In 2002, the group of plants in the family you may have known as Epacridaceae were grouped into a sub-family of the (nearly) world-wide family Ericaceae, because genetic research showed that these plants all had a common ancestor.  The members of the now defunct family Epacridaceae are now members of the sub-family called Epacridoideae but to avoid the tongue twister, we are referring to the Australian Heaths as Epacrids.  

Epacris is the largest, and probably the most familiar, of the 37 genera in the subfamily.  Almost 40 species are distributed from South East Queensland down the eastern sea board of Australia to Tasmania, South Australia and across to South West Australia.  The only state that misses out is the Northern Territory, for reasons that will be described at the seminar.

Epacris impressa, the Pink Heath, is the Victorian State Floral emblem and that of APS Victoria.  It is fitting that one of the most extensive descriptions of Epacris was prepared and illustrated by Alice Talbot, together with the APS Epacris Study Group who all happened to be members of APS Maroondah – where Fred had left such a mark.  The most recent leader of this study group was Gwen Elliot, (another Maroondah member), who continued to encourage the development of knowledge of this particular genus.  This group was suspended in 2015.  

Why Epacrids 2025? 

Two general characteristics of the Epacrids are: 

• They are not show stopper plants. Their beauty is in their delicacy – tiny flowers strung in clusters from often straggly stems.  
• They are fiendishly difficult to cultivate.

This is probably why, to quote WA Herbarium’s botanist Michael Hislop, the specialist for West Australian epacrids, “The Australian epacrids have been a rather neglected group historically and certainly merit greater attention from an ecological and horticultural perspective.”  

APS Mornington Peninsula District Group are keen for you to help address this neglect.  When you attend the seminar, on day 1 (August 2) you will hear the answers to some or all of the following questions: 

• How to identify a member of the Epacrids sub-family?
• What is the current state of research – re-identification as a result of DNA analysis, development of keys, what is happening with (for example) Styphelia?
• Where do these plants occur, what plant communities, what role do they play in these communities? 
• What’s their conservation status, what challenges are they facing due to climate change and human activities?
• How to propagate them, why are they so difficult to cultivate, any indicators that this will become more successful?  Hybrids?  Success and failure stories.  

And on that last question, you will be given the opportunity to add to horticultural knowledge by buying the plants on sale.  

You can also view and buy paintings, photos and fabricated items exhibited by Cranbourne Friends, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria.

On day 2 (August 3), you’ll be taken to see some Epacrids of the Mornington Peninsula within their plant communities.

How to register for Epacrids2025?

Click on this link for more information or to buy your ticket.

Alternatively, click on this link to request a registration form, or to subscribe to our mailing list to receive our newsletters and stay up-to-date with Epacrids 2025. 

Don’t forget to keep an eye on this webpage or follow us on Facebook.

We look forward to catching up with you in August 2025.