Escallonia bifida Link & Otto ex Engl.

Densely branched shrub up to 3 m high, sometimes taller and forming a small tree; twigs appearing glabrous, actually with microscopic hairs, striate and often viscid; older branches with grey, flaky bark. Lvs on younger branches, usually elliptic, sometimes narrowly obovate, (3)-5-8 × 1-2.5 cm, mostly obtuse and sometimes notched at apex, sometimes subacute, finely serrate, tapering to short petiole, glossy and glabrous on upper surface, not aromatic; lower surface dull with fine gland dots and obvious midrib. Infls terminal and in axils of upper lvs, rounded, paniculate. Calyx with minute simple hairs and sometimes few glandular hairs; lobes c. 2 mm long, triangular, minutely glandular on margins. Corolla white, 12-18 mm diam.; petals spreading and scarcely tubular. Ovary disc convex; style c. 4-6 mm long. Capsule obconic, c. 3-4 mm long.

Found along watercourses in areas of low sparse vegetation, also common in the understorey of Araucaria forests.

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings.