Melaleuca calcicola
| Melaleuca calcicola | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Melaleuca |
| Species: | M. calcicola |
| Binomial name | |
| Melaleuca calcicola (Barlow ex Craven) Craven & Lepschi | |
Melaleuca calcicola is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It was formerly known as a subspecies of Melaleuca apodocephala but was reassessed in 2010 and raised to species status. Its branches are corky, the leaves pointed although not prickly and the flowers are creamy white, tipped with yellow.
Description
Melaleuca calcicola is a shrub growing to about 4 metres (10 ft) tall with corky branches that are glabrous when mature. Its leaves are arranged alternately, 4–11.5 millimetres (0.2–0.5 in) long and 0.7–1.7 millimetres (0.03–0.07 in) wide, linear to narrow egg-shaped and slightly fleshy. The ends are pointed although not prickly.[1][2]
The flowers are white to creamy white with the tips of the stamens a contrasting yellow. The flowers are arranged in heads on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering and also on the sides of the branches. Each head contains up to 15 individual flowers and is up to 12 millimetres (0.47 in) in diameter. The petals are 1.2–2.3 millimetres (0.047–0.091 in) long and fall off as the flowers mature. The stamens are arranged in five bundles around the flowers and there are 12 to 23 stamens per bundle. The flowering period is mainly in November and is followed by fruits which are woody capsules 3.–5.5 millimetres (0.12–0.22 in) long with teeth around the edges and in clusters along the branches.[1][2][3]
Taxonomy and naming
Melaleuca adopdocephala subsp. calcicola was first described in 1999 by Bryan Barlow and Lyndley Craven in Australian Systematic Botany.[4] It was raised to species status in 2010 by Craven, Lepschi and Cowley in Nuytsia.[2][5] The specific epithet (calcicola) is derived from the Latin calx meaning "limestone"[6] and colo meaning "I inhabit"[7] referring to the presence of some specimens of this plant on limestone.[1]
Distribution and habitat
Melaleuca calcicola occurs between the western edge of the Nullarbor Plain and the Scaddan district[1][3] in the Coolgardie, Esperance Plains and Mallee biogeographic regions[8] growing in sand, gravel or clay on flat areas and around the edge of swamps.[9]
Conservation
Melaleuca calcicola is listed as "not threatened" by the Western Australian government department of the parks and wildlife.[8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 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. 106. ISBN 9781922137517.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Craven, Lyndley A.; Lepschi, Brendan J.; Cowley, Kirsten (2010). "Melaleuca (Myrtaceae) of Western Australia: five new species, three new combinations, one new name and a new state record" (PDF). Nuytsia 20: 28. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Holliday, Ivan (2004). Melaleucas : a field and garden guide (2nd ed. ed.). Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Reed New Holland Publishers. p. 18. ISBN 1876334983.
- ↑ "Melaleuca apodocephala subsp. calcicola". APNI. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- ↑ "Melaleuca calcicola". APNI. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
- ↑ "calx". Wiktionary. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- ↑ "colo". Wiktionary. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Melaleuca calcicola". FloraBase. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia.
- ↑ Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 392. ISBN 0646402439.