Hypocalymma melaleucoides

Last updated

Hypocalymma melaleucoides
Status DECF P2.svg
Priority Two — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Hypocalymma
Species:
H. melaleucoides
Binomial name
Hypocalymma melaleucoides

Hypocalymma melaleucoides, commonly known as Fitzgerald myrtle, [2] is a member of the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the Fitzgerald River National Park in the south of Western Australia. It is a spreading shrub with linear leaves that are round in cross-section, and bright pink flowers, with 35 to 55 stamens in several rows.

Contents

Description

Hypocalymma melaleucoides is a spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 30–70 cm (12–28 in). Its leaves are spreading or erect, linear, 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long, 1.5–2.0 mm (0.059–0.079 in) wide on a petiole 0.5–0.9 mm (0.020–0.035 in) long and round in cross-section with many small oil glands. The flowers are borne singly in leaf axils and are 13–17 mm (0.51–0.67 in) in diameter, on a peduncle 0.5–2 mm (0.020–0.079 in) long. The flowers are bright pink, each flower on a pedicel up to about 1 mm (0.039 in) long. The floral tube is 1.5–2.0 mm (0.059–0.079 in) long and about 3 mm (0.12 in) wide and the sepal lobes are egg-shaped, 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) long and 2.3–2.7 mm (0.091–0.106 in) wide. The petals are bright pink, 6–8 mm (0.24–0.31 in) long and there are 35 to 55 stamens in several rows, the longest filaments 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long and pink. Flowering occurs in September and October and the fruit is 3.0–3.5 mm (0.12–0.14 in) long and about 5 mm (0.20 in) wide. [3] [2] [4]

Taxonomy

Hypocalymma melaleucoides was first formally described in 2003 by Arne Strid and Gregory John Keighery from an unpublished description by Charles Gardner, in the Nordic Journal of Botany from a specimen collected 1 km (0.62 mi) south of Quoin Head in the Fitzgerald River National Park. [5] The specific epithet (melaleucoides) means ' Melaleuca -like', referring to the leaf-covered branches, superficially resembling some species of Melaleuca. [4]

Distribution and habitat

Fitzgerald myrtle grows in heath on coastal slopes and headlands, and is known from a few collections in the Fitzgerald River National Park in the south of Western Australia, where it grows in sandy to loamy soils over quartzite. [2] [4]

Conservation status

Hypocalymma melaleucoides is listed as "Priority Two" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, [2] meaning that it is poorly known and from one or a few locations. [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Hypocalymma</i> Genus of flowering plants

Hypocalymma is a genus of evergreen shrubs in the myrtle family Myrtaceae described as a genus in 1840. The entire genus is endemic to southern Western Australia.

<i>Hypocalymma angustifolium</i> Species of flowering plant

Hypocalymma angustifolium, commonly known as white myrtle, or pink-flowered myrtle, is a species of flowering in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south west region of Western Australia. The Noongar peoples know the plant as koodgeed or kudjidi. It is an erect, multi-stemmed shrub with narrowly linear leaves, white or pale pink flowers.

Melaleuca stramentosa is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, bushy shrub similar to Melaleuca similis with its cylindrical leaves and heads of pink to purple flowers but differs in have matted, woolly hairs around the flowers and on the young leaves.

<i>Kunzea pauciflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Kunzea pauciflora, the Mount Melville kunzea, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to a small area on the south coast of Western Australia. It is a shrub with the stems densely branched near their ends, linear leaves and one, two or three pink flowers near the ends of the branches but usually only at the top of the shrub.

<i>Darwinia polychroma</i> Species of flowering plant

Darwinia polychroma, commonly known as harlequin bell, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It has linear leaves and drooping flowers surrounded by yellowish green, green and red bracts.

Calytrix ecalycata is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a slender, erect shrub with linear to narrowly elliptic leaves, and yellow flowers with 35 to 50 stamens in several rows.

Calytrix erosipetala is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to inland areas of Western Australia. It is a glabrous shrub with spreading lance-shaped to egg-shaped or linear leaves, and white to pink flowers with about 18 to 24 stamens in a single row.

Calytrix formosa is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the west of Western Australia. It is a glabrous shrub with erect, elliptic, broadly elliptic or oblong leaves, and pink flowers with about 90 to 105 stamens in multiple rows.

<i>Hypocalymma asperum</i> Species of flowering plant

Hypocalymma asperum is a species of flowering in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south west region of Western Australia. It is an erect, multi-branched or spreading shrublet, with relatively short, stout leaves, and rose pink flowers.

Hypocalymma connatum is a species of flowering in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to Western Australia. It is a shrub, with narrowly egg-shaped leaves, probably white flowers, but has not been collected since 1935.

<i>Hypocalymma cordifolium</i> Species of flowering plant

Hypocalymma cordifolium is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. It is usually an low-growing shrub, but is sometimes erect, with winged stems, heart-shaped leaves arranged in opposite pairs, white or pale pink flowers mostly arranged in pairs in leaf axils, and fruit containing pearly white or pale brown seeds.

<i>Hypocalymma elongatum</i> Species of flowering plant

Hypocalymma elongatum is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. It is a large, bushy shrub with linear leaves more or less triangular in cross section, and pink flowers arranged in pairs in leaf axils with 30 to 50 stamens.

Hypocalymma ericifolium is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrublet with linear leaves that are more or less triangular in cross section, and bright yellow flowers arranged in pairs in leaf axils with 30 to 50 stamens.

Hypocalymma gardneri is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. It is a widely spreading subshrub, with linear leaves and yellow flowers arranged in pairs in leaf axils, with 80 to 105 stamens in several rows.

<i>Hypocalymma hirsutum</i> Species of flowering plant

Hypocalymma hirsutum is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. It is a low-growing shrub, with leaves arranged in opposite pairs, narrowly egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, and bright yellow flowers arranged singly in leaf axils, with usually 80 to 110 stamens in several rows.

<i>Hypocalymma jessicae</i> Species of flowering plant

Hypocalymma jessicae, commonly known as barrens myrtle, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. It is an erect, spreading shrub, with narrowly egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and pale to bright pink flowers mostly arranged in pairs in leaf axils, with 35 to 100 stamens in several rows.

Hypocalymma longifolium, commonly known as long-leaved myrtle, is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to a restricted part of Western Australia. It is an open shrub with linear leaves, and white or cream-coloured flowers arranged in pairs in leaf axils, with 40 to 50 stamens in several rows.

Micromyrtus hymenonema is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to inland areas of Western Australia. It is a shrub with overlapping, decussate linear leaves and pink flowers arranged singly in leaf axils with about 10 stamens in each flower.

<i>Babingtonia camphorosmae</i> Species of flowering plant

Babingtonia camphorosmae, commonly known as camphor myrtle, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a prostrate to low-growing shrub with linear to thread-like leaves and white or pink flowers in groups of up to five, each flower with ten to thirteen stamens.

<i>Hypocalymma <span style="font-style:normal;">×</span> linifolium</i> Species of flowering plant

Hypocalymma x linifolium is a species of flowering plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to a restricted area in the south west of Western Australia. It is low, spreading shrub with narrowly egg-shaped to almost linear leaves and bright yellow flowers with 22 to 41 stamens in several rows.

References

  1. "Hypocalymma melaleucoides". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Hypocalymma melaleucoides". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. Rye, Barbara L.; Keighery, Gregory J. Wege, Juliet A.; Ely, C.J. (eds.). "Hypocalymma melaleucoides". Flora of Australia. Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water: Canberra. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 Strid, P. Arne K.; Keighery, Greg J. (2003). "A taxonomic review of the genus Hypocalymma (Myrtaceae)". Nordic Journal of Botany. 22 (5): 564–565.
  5. "Hypocalymma melaleucoides". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  6. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions. Retrieved 1 October 2024.