Leptospermum rupicola | |
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In the Australian National Botanic Gardens | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Myrtaceae |
Genus: | Leptospermum |
Species: | L. rupicola |
Binomial name | |
Leptospermum rupicola | |
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 rupicola is a low-growing shrub that typically grows to a height 1 m (3 ft 3 in) or less. It has thin, firm bark, the younger stems with flattened hairs at first and a conspicuous flange. The leaves are narrow lance-shaped, about 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long and 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) wide with a sharp point on the tip and tapering at the base but without a petiole. The flowers are white, 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) wide and are borne singly on short side shoots from adjacent leaf axils. There are a few reddish-brown bracts at the base of the young flower buds but they are soon shed. The floral cup is glabrous, about 3 mm (0.12 in) long and the sepals about 2 mm (0.079 in) long. The petals are about 5 mm (0.20 in) long and the stamens 1.5–3 mm (0.059–0.118 in) long. Flowering mainly occurs from March to May and from September to October. The fruit is a capsule 6–10 mm (0.24–0.39 in) in diameter, the sepals having fallen off, and that remains on the plant when mature. [2] [3]
Leptospermum rupicola was first formally described in 1989 by Joy Thompson in the journal Telopea , based on plant material collected by Ernest Constable at Nellie's Glen near Blackheath in 1957. [3] [4] [5] The species is named for its habitat. [3]
This tea-tree grows in shrubby communities near high sandstone cliffs in central-eastern New South Wales. [2] [3] A group of about a dozen plants survive in an abandoned railway cutting at Lawson in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales. This being the most eastern end of its distribution in the Blue Mountains. [6]
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.
Leptospermum turbinatum, commonly known as shiny tea-tree, is a species of spreading shrub that is endemic to the Grampians and nearby ranges in Victoria, Australia. It has thin, rough bark, elliptical to lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, relatively large white flowers and fruit that remains on the plant at maturity.
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 deuense is a species of shrub that is endemic to New South Wales. It is a leafy, densely branched shrub with rough bark on the older stems, elliptical leaves with a glossy upper surface, white flowers arranged singly or in pairs and woody fruit.
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.
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.
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 anfractum is a species of spreading shrub that is endemic to Queensland. It has a smooth, twisted trunk, linear leaves, white flowers borne in leaf axils and bell-shaped to hemispherical fruit. It grows on rocky ridges and cliff edges.
Leptospermum gregarium is a species of shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. Its young stems are hairy the leaves are egg-shaped to lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, the flowers are white and arranged singly or in pairs on short side branches and the fruit remain on the plant at maturity. It usually grows in dense stands in swamps or along rocky creeks in high altitude place in northern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland.
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.
Leptospermum microcarpum is a species of shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has elliptical to lance-shaped leaves with a sharp point on the tip, white flowers and small fruit that falls from the plant shortly after the seeds are released.
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 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.
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.
Leptospermum sejunctum is a shrub that is endemic to the Nowra district in New South Wales. It has thin, grey bark, lance-shaped to elliptical leaves, white flowers and fruit that remain on the plant at maturity.
Leptospermum sphaerocarpum is a species of shrub that is endemic to New South Wales. It has thin, firm bark, elliptical, sharply-pointed leaves, greenish white or pink flowers and fruit that remain on the plant at maturity.
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.
Leptospermum variabile is a species of shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has thin, rough or scaly bark, broadly elliptical to lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, white flowers arranged singly on the ends of short side branches, and woody fruit that remains on the plant when mature.