Leptospermum exsertum

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Leptospermum exsertum
Leptospermum exsertum - Flickr - Kevin Thiele.jpg
Status DECF P1.svg
Priority One — 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: Leptospermum
Species:
L. exsertum
Binomial name
Leptospermum exsertum
Leptospermum exsertumDistA20.png
Occurrence data from AVH

Leptospermum exsertum is a small, sparsely branched shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has thick, wedge-shaped to heart-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, often with a sharply pointed tip, white flowers arranged singly or in groups of up to three and fruit that falls off when mature.

Contents

Description

Leptospermum exsertum is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.3–0.6 m (1 ft 0 in – 2 ft 0 in) and has thin, firm bark on the older stems, and glabrous younger stems. The leaves are wedge-shaped to heart-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, mostly 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long and 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) wide, often with a sharply pointed tip. The flowers are borne singly or in groups of up to three and are 5–8 mm (0.20–0.31 in) wide. There are reddish bracts and bracteoles at the base of the flower, the bracteoles falling off as the flower opens. The floral cup is about 2 mm (0.079 in) long, the sepals triangular 1.5–2 mm (0.059–0.079 in) long and the petals about 3 mm (0.12 in) long. The stamens are in bundles of about five and are 1.6 mm (0.063 in) long. Flowering occurs from August to September and the fruit is about 3 mm (0.12 in) in diameter with the remains of the sepals attached and the valves projecting upwards. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Leptospermum exsertum was first formally described in 1989 by Joy Thompson in the journal Telopea , based on plant material collected by John Stanley Beard near Tardun in 1973. [2] [4] The specific epithet (exsertum) is a Latin word meaning "protruding", refers to the valves of the fruit. [2] [5]

Distribution and habitat

This tea-tree is found on sand plains and sandy heath in the north-west corner of the Avon Wheatbelt biogeographic region. [2] [3]

Conservation status

This species is classified as "Priority One" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife, [3] meaning that it is known from only one or a few locations which are potentially at risk. [6]

Related Research Articles

<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 juniperinum</i> Species of plant

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.

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

Leptospermum morrisonii is a shrub or small tree that is endemic to New South Wales. It has strongly aromatic, elliptical to lance-shaped or curved leaves, white or greenish white flowers and fruit that remain on the plant. It occurs in the south-east of the state.

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

Leptospermum obovatum, commonly known as river teatree, is a species of shrub that is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It has egg-shaped or lance-shaped leaves that are narrower at the base, white flowers usually arranged singly on short side shoots and fruit that remains on the plant until it dies.

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

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.

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

Leptospermum erubescens, commonly known as the roadside tea tree, is a species of shrub that is endemic to southwest of Western Australia. It has thin, fibrous bark, egg-shaped leaves, small white flowers and woody fruit.

<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 incanum</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum incanum is a species of compact shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has hairy young stems, elongated egg-shaped leaves on a short petiole, relatively large white or pink flowers and fruit that fall from the plant 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 macgillivrayi is a species of small, widely-branching shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has hard, knobbly bark, broadly egg-shaped leaves, flowers arranged singly on short side shoots and small fruit that fall from the plant at maturity. It is only known from two locations in the inland of the state.

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

Leptospermum maxwellii is a species of often low-growing shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has thin, flaking bark, egg-shaped leaves, white flowers arranged singly on short side shoots and fruit with the remains of the sepals attached.

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

Leptospermum nitens is a species of slender shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has thin, fibrous bark, narrow egg-shaped to wedge-shaped leaves, white or pink flowers on short side branches and fruit with the sepals attached but that falls from the plant shortly after the seeds reach maturity.

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

Leptospermum oligandrum is a species of erect, spreading shrub that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has broadly egg-shaped to wedge-shaped leaves, white flowers arranged singly or in groups of up to three on the ends of short side branches and fruit that fall from the plant shortly after the seeds are released.

Leptospermum roei is a species of spreading shrub that is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It has thin, fibrous bark, long egg-shaped to narrow wedge-shaped leaves, white or pink flowers and small fruit that are shed with the seeds.

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

Leptospermum sericeum, commonly known as the silver tea tree, is a species of shrub that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has thin, firm bark, egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, relatively large, pink flowers and fruit that fall from the plant with the seeds. It grows in windswept rock crevices near Esperance.

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

Leptospermum spinescens, commonly known as the spiny tea tree, is a species of spiny shrub that is endemic to Western Australia. It has thick, egg-shaped to elliptical leaves on a short petiole, white or greenish cream flowers, and fruit that remain in the plant for years after reaching maturity.

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

Leptospermum parvifolium, commonly known as lemon-scented tea-tree, is a species of shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has thin, rough bark, egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, white or pink flowers, and fruit with the remains of the sepals attached but that is shed when the seeds are mature.

<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.

Leptospermum riparium, commonly known as riverine tea-tree, is a species of straggling shrub that is endemic to Tasmania. It has flaky bark, crowded, lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, relatively large white flowers and fruit that remain on the plant when mature. It grows on river banks in rainforest.

<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 exsertum". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Thompson, Joy (1989). "A revision of the genus Leptospermum (Myrtaceae)". Telopea. 3 (3): 352–353.
  3. 1 2 3 "Leptospermum exsertum". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  4. "Leptospermum exsertum". APNI. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  5. Francis Aubie Sharr (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings. Kardinya, Western Australia: Four Gables Press. p. 195. ISBN   9780958034180.
  6. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 20 March 2020.