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Leionema sp. 'Colo River’

First discovered in the early 1960s, this species was not rediscovered until 2000, when Tony Rodd, a botanist formerly of Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, was undertaking willow removal on the Colo River, and noticed a small population of these shrubs while having lunch.

It shows considerable horticultural potential and we are trialling it in a range of soils.

Scientific nameLeionema sp. 'Colo River’
FamilyRutaceae
EtymologyGenus: From Greek leios, smooth to the touch, and nema, a thread, referring to the 'hilar strand', which is a small piece of tissue joining the hilum (scar on the side of the seed) to the ovule.
DistributionThe species is restricted a small area of the Colo River, a couple of kilometres downstream from the confluence of Hungryway Creek, in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.
Native habitatIn the flood zone.
DescriptionThe adult plants grow to 1.5 m x 1.5 m and have starry white flowers.
Flowering/fruitingFlowers in May-June.
Location in gardenYou’ll find it in Bed 4b in the Connections Garden.