Leptospermum parvifolium

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Lemon-scented tea-tree
Leptospermum parvifolium Garigal.jpg
Leptospermum parvifolium in Garigal National Park, Australia
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. parvifolium
Binomial name
Leptospermum parvifolium
Synonyms [1]

Leptospermum eriocalyx Sieber ex Spreng.

Leptospermum parvifolium, commonly known as lemon-scented tea-tree, [2] 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.

Contents

Description

Leptospermum parvifolium is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 1–2 m (3 ft 3 in – 6 ft 7 in) and has thin branches with thin, rough, sometimes flaky bark, the younger stems sometimes hairy. The leaves are egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 3–8 mm (0.12–0.31 in) long and 1–3 mm (0.039–0.118 in) wide tapering to a petiole about 1 mm (0.039 in) long. The flowers are white or pink, about 10 mm (0.39 in) in diameter and usually arranged singly on short side shoots. The flower buds have sometimes large, egg-shaped, reddish brown bracts and bracteoles at the base but that usually fall as the flower opens. The floral cup is hairy, 2–2.5 mm (0.079–0.098 in) long and the sepals triangular, 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) long. The petals are about 4 mm (0.16 in) long and the stamens 1–1.5 mm (0.039–0.059 in) long. Flowering mainly occurs from September to November and the fruit is a capsule that has the remnants of the sepals attached but that falls off soon after the end of the flowering season. [3] [4] [5]

Taxonomy and naming

The type specimen of L. parvifolium was collected by Surgeon John White at Port Jackson in 1795. The plant first appeared in scientific literature in 1797, in the Transactions of the Linnean Society of London published by the eminent 18th century botanist James Edward Smith. [6] [7] The specific epithet (parvifolium) is derived from Latin, meaning ‘’small leaves’’. [3]

Distribution and habitat

Leptospermum parvifolium grows in dry sclerophyll forest on shallow soils, especially in sandy and rocky areas. It is widespread and common on the northern and central slopes and tablelands, and on the south coast as far south as Nowra. It has also been recorded in south-eastern Queensland. [3] [4] [5] [8]

Related Research Articles

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

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.

<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 myrsinoides</i> Species of plant

Leptospermum myrsinoides, commonly known as the heath tea-tree or silky tea-tree, is a species of shrub that is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It has smooth bark on the younger stems, narrow egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, white flowers and fruit that has the remains of the sepals attached but usually falls from the plant soon after the seeds are released.

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

Leptospermum jingera, commonly known as the stringybark tea-tree, is a species of shrub that is endemic to Victoria, Australia. It has papery bark on the larger branches, smooth bark on the younger stems, narrow egg-shaped to elliptical leaves, white flowers and silky-hairy, hemispherical fruit.

<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 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 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.

<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 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.

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 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 divaricatum</i> Species of shrub

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.

<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 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. 1 2 "Leptospermum parvifolium". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  2. "Species profile—Leptospermum parvifolium". Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Les Robinson – Field Guide to the Native Plants of Sydney, ISBN   978-0-7318-1211-0 page 54
  4. 1 2 J.Thompson & V.Logan. "Leptospermum parvifolium". PlantNET - NSW Flora Online. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
  5. 1 2 Thompson, Joy (1989). "A revision of the genus Leptospermum (Myrtaceae)". Telopea. 3 (3): 363–364.
  6. "Leptospermum parvifolium". APNI. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  7. Smith, James Edward (1797). "Botanical Characters of Some Plants of the Natural Order of Myrti". Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. 3: 263. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  8. "Leptospermum parvifolium". Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved 19 May 2020.