Leptospermum rupestre

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Leptospermum rupestre
Leptospermum sp - Walls of Jerusalem.jpg
Leptospermum rupestre,
Walls of Jerusalem National Park
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. rupestre
Binomial name
Leptospermum rupestre
Tasmania in Australia.svg
Leptospermum rupestre is endemic to Tasmania [2]
Synonyms [2]
  • Leptospermum grandifolium var. compactum Miq.
  • Leptospermum scoparium var. microphyllum S.Schauer

Leptospermum rupestre, commonly known as alpine tea-tree or prostrate tea-tree, [3] is a flowering shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. It is endemic to Tasmania. In alpine areas it assumes a prostrate habit while in subalpine areas it appears as a large shrub.

Contents

Description

Leptospermum rupestre is a common alpine and subalpine shrub in Tasmania. The growth habit varies, at higher exposed altitudes it is a prostrate plant up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) high. At lower altitudes it can become a large shrub to 4 m (13 ft) high. It has small, blunt, shiny dark green, oval to elliptic shaped leaves, 2–9 mm (0.079–0.354 in) long. The white flowers are small 1 cm (0.39 in) wide, 5 petalled, with an open habit and flower in profusion in leaf axils during summer. The reddish branches become mat-forming over rocks. The small seed capsules are about 5 mm (0.20 in) in diameter. [4] [5] [6]

Taxonomy and naming

Leptospermum rupestre was first formally described in 1840 by botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker and the description was published in Icones Plantarum . [7] [8] Robert Brown observed it growing on rocky outcrops on Mount Wellington and nearby mountains. The word rupestre is derived from the Latin word rupestris, [9] meaning rocky, referring to the habitat where it was found. [7]

Distribution and habitat

This species is endemic to Tasmania, found growing in a sunny situation on light to medium soils. [3]

Cultivation

It is one of the hardiest species of its genus and is suitable for cultivation outdoors. [10]

Related Research Articles

<i>Leptospermum</i> Genus of shrubs

Leptospermum is a genus of shrubs and small trees in the myrtle family Myrtaceae commonly known as tea trees, although this name is sometimes also used for some species of Melaleuca. Most species are endemic to Australia, with the greatest diversity in the south of the continent, but some are native to other parts of the world, including New Zealand and Southeast Asia. Leptospermums all have five conspicuous petals and five groups of stamens which alternate with the petals. There is a single style in the centre of the flower and the fruit is a woody capsule.

<i>Diselma</i> Genus of conifers

Diselma archeri is a species of plant of the family Cupressaceae and the sole species in the genus Diselma. It is endemic to the alpine regions of Tasmania's southwest and Central Highlands, on the western coast ranges and Lake St. Clair. It is a monotypic genus restricted to high altitude rainforest and moist alpine heathland. Its distribution mirrors very closely that of other endemic Tasmanian conifers Microcachrys tetragona and Pherosphaera hookeriana.

<i>Kunzea ericoides</i> Species of shrub

Kunzea ericoides, commonly known as kānuka, kanuka, or white tea-tree, is a tree or shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to New Zealand. It has white or pink flowers similar to those of Leptospermum and from its first formal description in 1832 until 1983 was known as Leptospermum ericoides. The flowers have five petals and up to 25 stamens which are mostly longer than the petals.

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

Leptospermum laevigatum, commonly known as the coast tea tree, is a species of shrub or small tree that is endemic to south-eastern Australia, but has been widely introduced in other places where it is often considered to be a weed. It has thin, rough bark on the older stems, narrow egg-shaped leaves, relatively large white flowers and flat topped fruit that is shed shortly after reaching maturity.

<i>Eucalyptus coccifera</i> Species of eucalyptus

Eucalyptus coccifera, commonly known as the Tasmanian snow gum, is a small to medium-sized tree endemic to Tasmania. It has smooth, grey and cream-coloured bark, elliptic to lance-shaped adult leaves, flower buds in groups of between three and nine, usually white flowers and conical, hemispherical or cup-shaped fruit.

<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 lanigerum</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum lanigerum, commonly known as the woolly teatree, is a small tree or medium shrub from the plant family Myrtaceae. Its common name derives from the conspicuously hairy capsules produced as fruit, along with the fine, silky hairs present on branches and leaves. L. lanigerum is widespread in many habitats, particularly in waterlogged areas such as moist, sandy coastal heaths, on river banks, riparian scrub, woodlands and on the fringe of montane grasslands. This species is endemic to Australia, with native populations occurring in New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.

<i>Telopea truncata</i> Shrub in the family Proteaceae endemic to Tasmania

Telopea truncata, commonly known as the Tasmanian waratah, is a plant in the family Proteaceae. It is endemic to Tasmania where it is found on moist acidic soils at altitudes of 600 to 1200 m (2000–4000 ft). Telopea truncata is a component of alpine eucalypt forest, rainforest and scrub communities. It grows as a multistemmed shrub to a height of 3 metres (10 ft), or occasionally as a small tree to 10 m (35 ft) high, with red flower heads, known as inflorescences, appearing over the Tasmanian summer and bearing 10 to 35 individual flowers. Yellow-flowered forms are occasionally seen, but do not form a population distinct from the rest of the species.

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

The Leptospermum grandifolium, commonly known as mountain tea-tree or woolly teatree, is a species of shrub or small tree that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has elliptical to egg-shaped leaves with a sharp point on the tip, white flowers and relatively large, broadly hemispherical fruit.

<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>Orites revolutus</i> Species of plant in the family Proteaceae endemic to Tasmania

Orites revolutus , also known as narrow-leaf orites, is a Tasmanian endemic plant species in the family Proteaceae. Scottish botanist Robert Brown formally described the species in Transactions of the Linnean Society of London in 1810 from a specimen collected at Lake St Clair. Abundant in alpine and subalpine heath, it is a small to medium shrub 0.5 to 1.5 m tall, with relatively small, blunt leaves with strongly revolute margins. The white flowers grow on terminal spikes during summer. Being proteaceaous, O. revolutus is likely to provide a substantial food source for nectivorous animal species within its range.

<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 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 glaucescens</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum glaucescens, commonly known as the blue-green tea tree or smoky tea tree, is a species of shrub or small tree that is endemic to Tasmania. It has elliptical to egg-shaped leaves that are often greyish green, white flowers about 15 mm (0.59 in) in diameter arranged in consecutive leaf axils and fruit that remain on the plant for some time after maturity.

<i>Baeckea gunniana</i> Species of flowering plant

Baeckea gunniana, commonly known as alpine baeckea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to alpine and sub-alpine areas of south-eastern Australia. It is a densely-branched shrub with egg-shaped to oblong leaves and small white flowers with four to six stamens.

<i>Trochocarpa cunninghamii</i> Species of flowering plant

Trochocarpa cunninghamii is a flowering plant species of the family Ericaceae. It is commonly referred to as straggling purpleberry due to its round flattened mauve drupe fruits. This woody shrub is usually found in the understorey of rainforests and subalpine forests in the Central Plateau and western Tasmania, and is endemic to Tasmania.

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

Leptospermum emarginatum, commonly known as the twin-flower tea-tree or twin flower teatree, is a species of shrub that is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It has rough bark on the older stems, lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base and a small notch at the tip, white flowers in groups of up to five and hemispherical fruit that falls off when mature.

<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 oreophilum</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum oreophilum, commonly known as the rock tea tree, is a shrub that is endemic to the Glass House Mountains in southern Queensland. It has firm, rough bark on the older stems, elliptical leaves with a short, blunt point on the tip, relatively large white flowers arranged singly on side shoots and fruit that remains on the plant until it dies.

References

  1. "Leptospermum rupestre". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Leptospermum rupestre Hook.f." Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  3. 1 2 "Leptospermum rupestre". Ole Lantana's Seed Store. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  4. Wrigley, John W.; Fagg, Murray (2001). Australian Native Plants. Louise Eggerton-Read New Holland. ISBN   1-876334-30-4.
  5. "Leptospermum rupestre". Australian Native Plants-Online. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  6. "Leptospermum rupestre (Myrtaceae)". Key to Tasmanian vascular plants. University of Tasmania. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  7. 1 2 "Icones Plantarum". Biodiversity Heritage Library. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  8. "Leptospermum rupestre". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  9. Francis Aubie Sharr (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings. Kardinya Western Australia: Four Gables Press. p. 299. ISBN   9780958034180.
  10. Dawson, M. (2012). "Australian Leptospermum in cultivation: species and cultivars." NZ Garden J, 15, 14-22.