Leptospermum deanei

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Deane's tea-tree
Leptospermum middle harbour creek 2.jpg
Garigal National Park, Australia
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Leptospermum
Species:
L. deanei
Binomial name
Leptospermum deanei
Leptospermum deaneiDistA14.png
Occurrence data from AVH
Bark Leptospermum middle harbour creek 3.jpg
Bark

Leptospermum deanei, commonly known as Deane's tea-tree, [2] 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.

Contents

Description

Leptospermum deanei is an often slender, erect shrub typically growing to 1–5 m (3 ft 3 in–16 ft 5 in) high. On larger specimens the bark is grey and peels in long strips. Younger stems are sometimes silky. The leaves are sessile, narrow elliptical to lance-shaped, 10–15 mm (0.39–0.59 in) long and 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) wide with the tip turned down with a soft, blunt tip. The flowers are borne singly on short side shoots and are white, occasionally with some pink, about 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) in diameter. The floral cup is mostly glabrous on a silky-hairy pedicel. The sepals are about 1.5 mm (0.059 in) long, the petals about 5 mm (0.20 in) long and the stamens 1–1.5 mm (0.039–0.059 in) long. Flowering occurs from October to November and the fruit is about 3.5 mm (0.14 in) in diameter, mostly glabrous and falling from the plant from December. When ripe, the valves protrude beyond the rim of the capsule. [2] [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Leptospermum deanei was first formally described in 1989 by Joy Thompson in the journal Telopea from specimens collected near Devlins Creek in 1982. [5] Specimens of this species were collected in 1883 by the railway engineer Henry Deane at Devlins Creek in the Lane Cove River valley and were probably collected by Deane when he was working on the nearby railway line. These specimens lay undescribed for over 100 years in the National Herbarium of New South Wales query box. The specific epithet honours Henry Deane. [6]

Distribution and habitat

This tea-tree grows in sandy soils in forest, woodland and shrubland on the lower slopes of valleys and near streams between Cowan Creek and the Lane Cove River. The largest population occurs in Garigal National Park. [2] [7]

Conservation status

Leptospermum deanei is listed as "vulnerable" under the Australian Government Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 . Fire is likely to kill this species. However, without fire it may be out-competed by the encroachment of riparian vegetation. The ideal fire frequency is between 7 and 15 years. Other threats include invasive weeds, clearing and habitat damage caused by urban run-off and flooding. [7]

Related Research Articles

<i>Leptospermum squarrosum</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum squarrosum, commonly known as the peach blossom tea-tree, is an upright shrub of the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to central eastern New South Wales. It has thin, firm bark, broadly lance-shaped to elliptical leaves, relatively large white or pink flowers and fruit that remain on the plant when mature.

<i>Leptospermum trinervium</i> Species of shrub

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.

<i>Leptospermum continentale</i> Species of plant

Leptospermum continentale, commonly known as prickly tea-tree, 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.

<i>Leptospermum fastigiatum</i> Species of plant

Leptospermum fastigiatum is a shrub that is endemic to the south-west of Australia. It has narrow egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base and a small point on the tip, white flowers arranged singly or in pairs on short side shoots and small fruit that fall off when mature.

<i>Leptospermum inelegans</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum inelegans is a species of straggly shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has only partly hairy young stems, egg-shaped to narrow elliptical leaves on a short petiole, relatively small white or pink flowers and fruit that fall from the plant when mature.

Leptospermum subtenue is a species of small shrub in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Western Australia. It has thick, elliptical, concave leaves, white or pink flowers and fruit that falls from the plant when mature. It occurs to the south of Kalgoorlie.

<i>Leptospermum multicaule</i> Australian species of plant

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 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.

<i>Leptospermum blakelyi</i> Australian species of plant

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.

<i>Leptospermum brevipes</i> Australian species of plant

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.

<i>Leptospermum lamellatum</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum lamellatum is a species of shrub or small tree that is endemic to inland Queensland and has distinctive reddish, layered bark. It has narrow elliptical leaves, white flowers and small fruit that fall from the plant when mature.

<i>Leptospermum myrtifolium</i> Australian species of plant

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.

<i>Leptospermum namadgiense</i> Australian species of plant

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.

<i>Leptospermum neglectum</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum neglectum is a shrub or small tree that is endemic to Queensland. It has elliptical leaves that are silky-hairy at first, white flowers on short shoots in leaf axils and fruit with the remnants of the sepals attached but that fall from the plant shortly after the seeds are released.

<i>Leptospermum novae-angliae</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum novae-angliae is a species of shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has elliptical leaves that are usually crowded, single white flowers on short shoots and fruit that remain on the plant until it dies. It usually grows in rocky places.

<i>Leptospermum polyanthum</i> Species of shrub

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.

<i>Leptospermum purpurascens</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum purpurascens, commonly known as the purple-stemmed turkey bush, is a shrub or small tree that is endemic to far north Queensland. It has bark that is purple when new, elliptical to broadly lance-shaped leaves, relatively small white flowers arranged in pairs and small fruit that falls from the plants when the seeds are released.

<i>Leptospermum semibaccatum</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum semibaccatum is a species of low, dense shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has egg-shaped to narrow elliptical leaves with a blunt tip, white or pink flowers and hairy, flat-topped fruit that falls from the plant shortly after the seeds are released. It grows in poorly-drained soil in coastal heath.

<i>Leptospermum sericatum</i> Species of plant

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.

<i>Leptospermum subglabratum</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum subglabratum is a species of open shrub that is endemic to a south-eastern New South Wales. It has thin, rough bark, egg-shaped to lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, white flowers arranged singly on short side shoots and relatively small fruit that falls from the plant at maturity.

References

  1. "Leptospermum deanei". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 "Leptospermum deanei — Deane's Tea-tree". Australian Government, Department of Environment and Energy. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  3. J.Thompson & V.Logan. "Leptospermum deanei". PlantNET - NSW Flora Online. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  4. Thompson, Joy (1989). "A revision of the genus Leptospermum (Myrtaceae)". Telopea. 3 (3): 364–365. doi: 10.7751/telopea19894902 .
  5. "Leptospermum deanei". APNI. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  6. Les Robinson – Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney, ISBN   978-0-7318-1211-0 page 52
  7. 1 2 "Leptospermum deanei - Profile". New South Wales Government - Office of Environment & Heritage. Retrieved October 26, 2019.