About 150 species; see text Pimelea, commonly known as rice flowers, is a genus of plants belonging to the family Thymelaeaceae.

Plants in the genus Pimelea are herbs or small shrubs, usually with leaves arranged in opposite pairs.

The flowers are usually arranged in groups on the ends of the branches and have no petals, but four petal-like sepals and two stamens.

[3][4][5][6][7] The name Pimelea is from the Ancient Greek word pimele, meaning "fat or "lard",[8] possibly referring to the oily seeds or fleshy cotyledons of riceflowers.

[9] Some species, including P. curviflora, P. flava, P. glauca, P. linifolia, P. microcephala, P. neo-anglica, P. pauciflora, P. simplex and P. trichostachya, are toxic to stock; there is no known cure.