The flowers on Prickly Beard Heath are about the size of a grain of rice. Around the rim of flower tube (Corolla) are little hairs, a bit like a white beard. In Latin Leuco is white and pogon is beard. The foliage is quite stiff, with pointed tips, which makes the small shrub quite prickly. It grows small red edible berries, which are eaten by birds and animals. The characteristics of a prickly shrub with edible berries is similar to the Juniper Bush; hence the name juniperinus.

It grows in forests and woodlands along the east coast of Australia. These examples were photographed on the ridge above Manna Park Hostel, where it is easily found growing up to knee height.

Click on either photograph to download a higher resolution image (T.Hastings September 2009.