Melaleuca calothamnoides

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

Melaleuca calothamnoides is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a relatively small area on the west coast of Western Australia. It has attractive red and green flowering spikes and soft foliage but has proven to be difficult in cultivation.

Description

Melaleuca calothamnoides is a shrub growing to a height of 1–4 metres (3–10 ft) and about 1.5 metres (5 ft) wide with rough bark. The leaves are arranged alternately and 7.5–13.5 millimetres (0.3–0.5 in) long and 0.5–0.9 millimetres (0.02–0.04 in) wide. They are fleshy and linear to almost cylindrical in cross section.

The flowers are arranged in cylindrical spikes that are 40–50 millimetres (2–2 in) long and wide. The spikes occur on old wood and the branch continues to grow after flowering. There are 40 to 60 flowers on each spike. The stamens are arranged in five bundles around the flowers with 4 to 5 stamens per bundle, and are usually green in the centre grading to red at the tips. Flowering occurs over an extended period from July to October. The fruits are woody capsules in dense groups 40–50 millimetres (1.6–2.0 in) along the stem long and each capsule is 4–5 millimetres (0.16–0.20 in) long and wide.[1][2]

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca bisulcata was first described in 1862 by Ferdinand Mueller in Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae from a specimen found "in limesone hils near the Murchison River by Augustus Oldfield".[3] The specific epithet (calothamnoides) is a "reference to a perceived similarity between this species and a species of Calothamnus".[2]

Distribution and habitat

Melaleuca calothamnoides occurs in the Murchison River area[1] in the Geraldton Sandplains biogeographic region.[4] It has a restricted distribution but is locally common, especially in dry gullies and creek beds.[5]

Conservation

Melaleuca calothamnoides is listed as "not threatened" by the Western Australian government department of the parks and wildlife.[4]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Holliday, Ivan (2004). Melaleucas : a field and garden guide (2nd ed. ed.). Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Reed New Holland Publishers. pp. 42–43. ISBN 1876334983.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 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. 107. ISBN 9781922137517.
  3. ↑ "Melaleuca calothamnoides". APNI. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Melaleuca calothamnoides". FloraBase. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia.
  5. ↑ Corrick, Margaret G.; Fuhrer, Bruce A. (2009). Wildflowers of southern Western Australia (3rd ed. ed.). [Kenthurst, N.S.W.]: Rosenberg Pub. p. 132. ISBN 9781877058844. Retrieved 23 March 2015.

External source