Melaleuca acacioides

Melaleuca acacioides
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species: M. acacioides
Binomial name
Melaleuca acacioides
F.Muell.

Melaleuca acacioides, commonly known as coastal paperbark, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is native to the northern parts of the Northern Territory, Cape York Peninsula and New Guinea. It is closely related to Melaleuca alsophila and Melaleuca citrolens, being differentiated from them by the number of flowers in a group. In this species, they are in groups of three (called triads).

Description

Melaleuca acacioides is a tree, usually with white or grey papery bark, sometimes growing as high as 10 metres (30 ft). Its leaves are arranged alternately on the stems, and are 23–70 millimetres (0.9–3 in) long and 6–14 millimetres (0.2–0.6 in) wide, glabrous when mature, narrow oval in shape, sometimes with a small point on the end and with many distinct oil glands.[1]

The flowers are white to cream and arranged in spikes, sometimes at the tips of the branches and sometimes in the leaf axils. Each spike contains 2 to 10 groups of flowers in threes. The stamens are arranged in five bundles around the flower and each bundle contains 6 or 7 stamens. Flowers appear in winter and spring and are followed by woody capsules 1.6–2.3 millimetres (0.06–0.09 in) long grouped in clusters along the stem.[1][2]

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca acacioideswas first described in 1862 by Ferdinand von Mueller in Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae.[3] The specific epithet (acacioides) is a New Latin word meaning "resembling an Acacia",[4] "in reference to the similarity, in foliage, between this species and certain species of Acacia".[1]

In 1986, the genus Melaleuca was reviewed by Bryan Barlow and Melaleuca acacioides was separated into three groups - a new species, Melaleuca citrolens and two subspecies:[5]

Distribution and habitat

Melaleuca acacioides occurs from western Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory to Cape York Peninsula and New Guinea. It grows on the landward side of mangroves and samphire in slightly saline soils.[1]

Uses

Traditional uses

Aboriginal people used the leaves of Melaleuca acacioides (and of M. argentea and M. leucadendra) as flavouring in cooking. "Bee bread" (produced from pollen) and honey were foods collected from native bee hives prevalent in swamp forests, including those of Melaleuca acacioides.[1][8]

Essential oils

The principal oils present in the leaves of this species are α-selinene and β-selinene.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Brophy, Joseph J.; Craven, Lyndley A.; Doran, John C. (2013). Melaleucas : their botany, essential oils and uses. Canberra: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. p. 65. ISBN 9781922137517.
  2. ↑ Holliday, Ivan (2004). Melaleucas : a field and garden guide (2nd ed. ed.). Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Reed New Holland Publishers. p. 14. ISBN 1876334983.
  3. ↑ "Melaleuca acacioides". APNI. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  4. ↑ "acacioides". Wiktionary. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  5. ↑ Barlow, Bryan A. (1986). "Contributions to a revision of Melaleuca (Myrtaceae): 1—3". Australian Systematic Biology 9 (2). Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  6. ↑ "Melaleuca acacioides subsp.acacioides". APNI. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  7. ↑ "Melaleuca acacioides subsp. alsophila". APNI. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  8. ↑ Williams, Cheryll (2010). Medicinal plants in Australia. Kenthurst, N.S.W.: Rosenberg Publishing. p. 200. ISBN 9781877058790. Retrieved 7 April 2015.

External sources