Distribution: In Queensland, S. sparsa extends as far north as Blackdown Tableland (west of Rockhampton), as far east as Brisbane, and west to Mount Playfair in the Carnarvon Ranges. In New South Wales, it extends west to the Pilliga State Forest, south to around Dubbo, and east to Glenreagh.

Notes: The name Leucopogon biflorus (now Styphelia biflora) has been misapplied by all authors since Bentham (1868).

The type of L. sparsus bears only leaves and flower buds, but it is sufficient to fix the application of the name. There is only one species in that geographical area (Coonabarabran-Gunnedah-Coolah) that has leaves of this size, shape and orientation and with the long spinose acumen, the short peduncles, and the flowers often in pairs. The other species recorded on AVH (2024) from this area, namely S. triflora, S. viridis, S. attenuata, L. affinis and S. mutica, are quite different in their leaf morphology and/or inflorescence structure.

Styphelia sparsa is distinguished by its divaricate leaves with a long pungent acumen, the short peduncle, long pendulous flowers (often in pairs) with white corolla and sepals, and the relatively long style with unexpanded stigma. Like other widespread species, it is quite variable, but none of the variants seems worthy of taxonomic recognition.

Cunningham climbed seven hills or mountains during his 1825 expedition, looking for interesting and new plants and to take bearings to other mountains (Whitehead 2017). It is still unclear from which hill he collected S. sparsa.

Bentham (1868) included Leucopogon similis Sond. (published in 1845) as a synonym of L. biflorus. The identity of L. similis remains in doubt; I have not been able to find any type material for this name. The protologue refers to a specimen in the Paris herbarium, but staff at P have been unable to find any potential type for the name.