Prickly tea-tree | |
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Leptospermum continentale on Black Mountain (Australian Capital Territory) in the A.C.T. | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Myrtaceae |
Genus: | Leptospermum |
Species: | L. continentale |
Binomial name | |
Leptospermum continentale | |
Occurrence data from AVH |
Leptospermum continentale, commonly known as prickly tea-tree, [2] is a species of slender, straggling shrub that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has sharp-pointed, narrowly egg-shaped leaves, white flowers arranged singly in leaf axils and woody fruit that remains on the plant when mature.
Leptospermum continentale is a slender, straggling shrub that typically grows to a height of 1–2 m (3 ft 3 in – 6 ft 7 in) or more. It has smooth bark that is shed in stringy strips. The leaves are narrow egg-shaped, 5–13 mm (0.20–0.51 in) long and 1–3.5 mm (0.039–0.138 in) wide with a sharp point on the end. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils, 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in) in diameter on a pedicel up to 1 mm (0.039 in) long and the floral cup is 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long. The sepals are triangular, mostly glabrous, about 1.5 mm (0.059 in) long and fall off as the flower opens. The petals are usually white, rarely pink, 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long and the stamens are 1.5–2 mm (0.059–0.079 in) long. Flowering occurs between September and February and the fruit is a broadly hemispherical capsule 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) wide and remaining on the plant when mature. [2] [3] [4]
Leptospermum continentale was first formally described in 1989 by Joy Thompson in Telopea from specimens she collected in Kanangra-Boyd National Park in 1982. [3] [5] The specific epithet (continentale) refers to the distribution of the species on the Australian mainland, in contrast to its close relative Leptospermum scoparium that occurs in Tasmania, some Bass Strait Islands and New Zealand.
Prickly tea-tree occurs from Mudgee in central eastern New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory to the southern half of Victoria and south-eastern South Australia. It is widespread in heath and woodland in well-drained sandy soil but also in swampy places. [2] [3] [4] [6]
This tea-tree can be propagated from cuttings or from seed and is a hardy shrub that tolerates most soils and aspects, including poorly-drained sites. [7]
Leptospermum liversidgei, commonly known as the olive tea-tree, is a species of compact shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has narrow egg-shaped, lemon-scented leaves, white or pink flowers and woody fruit that remain on the plant at maturity.
Leptospermum trinervium, commonly known as flaky-barked tea-tree, slender tea-tree or paperbark tree, is a species of shrub or small tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has papery bark that is shed in thin, flaking layers, narrow elliptic to broadly egg-shaped leaves with the narrower at the base, white flowers and silky-hairy fruit that falls from the plant when mature.
Leptospermum juniperinum, commonly known as the prickly tea tree, is a species of broom-like shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has narrow, sharply pointed leaves, white flowers usually arranged singly on short side shoots and small fruit that remain on the plant when mature.
Leptospermum confertum is a species of shrub that is endemic to East Mount Barren on the south coast of Western Australia. It has rough bark, crowded narrow club-shaped leaves and white flowers that are pinkish in bud.
Leptospermum arachnoides, commonly known as the spidery tea-tree, is a species of shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has rough bark, crowded linear to lance-shaped leaves with a sharp point on the end, white flowers and hairy fruit.
Leptospermum coriaceum, commonly known as green tea-tree or mallee teatree, is a shrub species that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has smooth bark on the younger stems, elliptic to narrow egg-shaped leaves, white flowers and woody fruit. The usual habitat is mallee on sand dunes.
Leptospermum multicaule, commonly known as the silver tea-tree, is a species of shrub that is endemic to south eastern Australia. It has linear, narrow elliptical or narrow egg-shaped leaves, white or pink flowers usually borne singly on short side shoots, and fruit the falls from the plant soon after the seeds are released.
Leptospermum deanei, commonly known as Deane's tea-tree, is a species of rare, slender shrub that is endemic to the northern suburbs of Sydney. It has bark peeling in long strips from the older stems, hairy young stems, narrow elliptical to lance-shaped leaves, white flowers arranged singly on short side shoots and mostly glabrous fruit.
Leptospermum argenteum, commonly known as the Mt Royal tea-tree, is a species of shrub that is endemic to the higher parts of Barrington Tops in New South Wales. It has smooth bark, stems with a flange along the sides, broad leaves, white flowers and unlike many others in the genus, it is never lemon-scented.
Leptospermum benwellii is a species of shrub that is endemic to the Nymboida National Park in New South Wales. It has smooth bark, young branches with conspicuous flanges, narrow elliptical leaves, white flowers and thin-walled, bell-shaped to hemispherical fruit.
Leptospermum blakelyi is a species of shrub that is endemic to rocky clifftops near Lithgow in New South Wales. It has densely silky young stems, egg-shaped to elliptical leaves and white or pink flowers.
Leptospermum brachyandrum is a species of shrub or small tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has smooth bark, linear to lance-shaped leaves and white flowers and usually grows along creeks, often in water.
Leptospermum brevipes, commonly known as the slender tea-tree, is a species of shrub or small tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has fibrous bark on the main stems, smooth bark on young stems, narrow elliptical to narrow egg-shaped leaves, white flowers and hemispherical fruit that is shed when mature.
Leptospermum divaricatum is a species of plant that is endemic to inland New South Wales. It is an erect or weeping shrub with compact fibrous bark, elliptical to egg-shaped leaves, white flowers arranged singly on short axillary side shoots and woody fruit that fall off when mature.
Leptospermum luehmannii is a species of shrub or small tree that is endemic to Queensland. It has glossy green elliptic leaves, white flowers and fruit that falls from the plant shortly after the seeds are released.
Leptospermum myrtifolium, commonly known as the myrtle tea-tree or grey tea-tree, is a species of shrub that is endemic to south eastern Australia. It has broad egg-shaped to elliptical leaves, white flowers usually borne singly on short side shoots, and fruit that remains on the plant until it dies.
Leptospermum namadgiense is a species of small shrub that is endemic to areas near the border between New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. It has silky-hairy, narrow lance-shaped to elliptical leaves, usually white flowers borne singly or in pairs on short side shoots, and fruit that falls from the plant shortly after the seeds are released.
Leptospermum polyanthum is a rigid, spreading shrub or small tree that is endemic to New South Wales. It has thin, rough bark, young stems that are hairy at first, elliptical leaves, relatively small white flowers and fruit are shed when the seeds are mature.
Leptospermum rupicola is a low-growing shrub that is endemic to New South Wales where it grows near cliffs. It has thin, rough bark, narrow lance-shaped leaves, white flowers and relatively large fruit that remain on the plant at maturity.
Leptospermum sericatum is a species of erect shrub that is endemic to Queensland. It has thin, firm bark, narrow egg-shaped to elliptical leaves, white or pink flowers arranged usually singly on side shoots and fruit that falls from the plant when the seeds are released.