Leptospermum sericeum

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Silver teatree
Leptospermum sericeum flowers.jpg
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. sericeum
Binomial name
Leptospermum sericeum
Habit on the headland at Lucky Bay Leptospermum sericeum habit.jpg
Habit on the headland at Lucky Bay
Fruit after seed release Leptospermum sericeum fruit.jpg
Fruit after seed release

Leptospermum sericeum, commonly known as the silver tea tree, [2] 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.

Contents

Description

Leptospermum sericeum is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in – 9 ft 10 in) and has thin, firm bark. The leaves are egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, mostly 10–20 mm (0.39–0.79 in) long and 5–10 mm (0.20–0.39 in) wide, tapering to a short, broad petiole. The leaves are covered with a layer of silvery grey hairs, at least at first, sometimes becoming glabrous later. The flowers are pink, 15–25 mm (0.59–0.98 in) wide and are arranged singly or in pairs on short side shoots. The flower buds have reddish brown bracts and bracteoles at the base but that fall off well before the flower opens. The floral cup is 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long on a short pedicel and is densely covered with soft hairs. The sepals are 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long and are not differentiated from the floral cup. The petals are 6–12 mm (0.24–0.47 in) long and the stamens 3.5–4 mm (0.14–0.16 in) long. Flowering mainly occurs from August to September and the fruit is a capsule about 7 mm (0.28 in) long on a pedicel usually 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long. The remnants of the sepals remain attached to the fruit, but the fruit falls from the plant when the seeds mature. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Leptospermum sericeum was first described in 1806 by Jacques Labillardière who published the description in Novae Hollandiae Plantarum Specimen . [4] Labillardière mistakenly gave the type location as "Capite van Diemen" (Tasmania). George Bentham considered it a synonym of Kunzea sericea Turcz. in Flora Australiensis , [5] as did Joy Thompson in her 1990 paper in the journal Telopea . [3] The Australian Plant Census considers that Charles Gardner was correct in listing Kunzea sericea and L. sericea as separate species, the former occurring more than 160 km (99 mi) from the coast and L. sericea as being found on the islands of the Recherche Archipelago. [1] [6] (Kunzea sericea is now considered to be a synonym of Kunzea pulchella .) [7]

Distribution and habitat

Silver teatree grows in shallow soil in the crevices of windswept granite outcrops near Esperance, including on nearby islands. [2] [3]

Conservation status

This leptospermum is listed as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. [2]

Related Research Articles

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

Leptospermum recurvum is a species of shrub or tree that is native to Mount Kinabalu in Malaysian Borneo and to Sulawesi. It has pale, flaky bark, broadly elliptical to almost round leaves, white flowers about 12 mm (0.47 in) wide and fruit that tend to remain on the plant for a year or two.

<i>Adenanthos sericeus</i> Species of shrub native to the south coast of Western Australia

Adenanthos sericeus, commonly known as woolly bush, is a shrub native to the south coast of Western Australia. It has bright red but small and obscure flowers, and very soft, deeply divided, hairy leaves.

<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 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 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.

<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 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.

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 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>Leptospermum brachyandrum</i> Australian species of plant

Leptospermum brachyandrum is a species of shrub or small tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has smooth bark, linear to lance-shaped leaves and white flowers and usually grows along creeks, often in water.

<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 micromyrtus</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum micromyrtus is a species of spreading shrub that is endemic to higher areas of south-eastern Australia. It has broad, egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, white flowers and fruit that remain on the plant at maturity.

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

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.

<i>Leptospermum wooroonooran</i> Species of tree

Leptospermum wooroonooran, commonly known as wurunuru or mountain teatree, is a species of stunted tree that is endemic to Queensland where it grows on exposed mountain ridges. It has thin, fibrous or flaky bark, lance-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, white flowers arranged singly on short side shoots and fruit remain on the plant at maturity.

Pultenaea spinulosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a shrub with flat, hairy leaves, and uniformly yellow flowers.

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

Baeckea latifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a shrub with broadly elliptic leaves and small white flowers with six to eight stamens.

References

  1. 1 2 "Leptospermum sericeum". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Leptospermum sericeum". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. 1 2 3 Thompson, Joy (1989). "A revision of the genus Leptospermum (Myrtaceae)". Telopea. 3 (3): 360–361. doi: 10.7751/telopea19894902 .
  4. ↑ "Leptospermum sericeum". APNI. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  5. ↑ Bentham, George (1866). Flora Australiensis (Volume 3). London: Lovell Reeve & Co. p. 117. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  6. ↑ Gardner, Charles Austin (1964). "Contributiones Florae Australiae Occidentalis XIII". Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia. 47: 61. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
  7. ↑ "Kunzea pulchella". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 5 June 2020.
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