Leptospermum whitei

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Leptospermum whitei
Leptospermum whitei.jpg
In the Australian National Botanic Gardens
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Leptospermum
Species:
L. whitei
Binomial name
Leptospermum whitei
Synonyms [1]
  • Agonis elliptica C.T.White & W.D.Francis
  • Agonis elliptica var. angustifoliaC.T.White & W.D.Francis
  • Agonis ellipticaC.T.White & W.D.Francis var. elliptica

Leptospermum whitei is a species of shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has fibrous, flaky bark, elliptical leaves, white flowers arranged in small groups on the ends of short side branches, and fruit that falls from the plant when mature.

Contents

Description

Leptospermum whitei is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 3 m (9.8 ft) or more with reddish brown, fibrous or flaky bark, the younger stems covered with soft hairs. The leaves are elliptical, up to 25 mm (0.98 in) long and 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) wide with a blunt point and tapering to a very short petiole. The flowers are white with several together on short side shoots, each flower about 10 mm (0.39 in) wide. The floral cup is densely covered with short, silky hairs, and about 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) long. The sepals are hairy, oblong to hemispherical, about 1.5 mm (0.059 in) long, the petals 3–5 mm (0.12–0.20 in) long and the stamens about 1.5 mm (0.059 in) long. Flowering mainly occurs from October to January and the fruit is a capsule about 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) with the remains of the sepals attached, but which fall from the plant when mature. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

This tea-tree was formally described in 1920 by Cyril Tenison White and William D. Francis who gave it the name Agonis elliptica and published the description in the Botany Bulletin of the Department of Agriculture, Queensland from specimens collected by Francis near Beerwah. [4] In 1932, Edwin Cheel transferred the species to the genus ''Leptospermum, but since there was already a species L. ellipticum (now known as Pericalymma ellipticum ), Cheel changed the name to L. whitei, honouring C.T.White. [5] [6]

Distribution and habitat

Leptospermum whitei grows in swampy, coastal heath between Wide Bay in Queensland and Coffs Harbour in New South Wales. [2] [3]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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

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<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 divaricatum</i> Species of shrub

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<i>Leptospermum epacridoideum</i> Species of flowering plant

Leptospermum epacridoideum is a species of plant that is endemic to a restricted area of the South Coast of New South Wales. It is a bushy shrub with compact bark, elliptical to more or less circular leaves, white flowers arranged singly on short axillary side shoots, and woody fruit.

<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.

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.

<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 namadgiense</i> Australian species of plant

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

Leptospermum neglectum is a shrub or small tree that is endemic to Queensland. It has elliptical leaves that are silky-hairy at first, white flowers on short shoots in leaf axils and fruit with the remnants of the sepals attached but that fall from the plant shortly after the seeds are released.

<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 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.

Leptospermum speciosum is a species of shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has pale bark that is shed in strips, broadly lance-shaped to elliptical leaves, white flowers arranged singly or in groups of up to three in leaf axils, and small, woody fruit that falls off when mature.

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

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.

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

Leptospermum thompsonii, commonly known as the monga tea-tree, is a species of tall shrub that is endemic to south eastern New South Wales. It has rough, flaky bark, broadly elliptical to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and a sharply-pointed tip, white flowers and fruit that remains on the plant at maturity.

References

  1. 1 2 "Leptospermum whitei". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Leptospermum whitei". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  3. 1 2 Thompson, Joy (1989). "A revision of the genus Leptospermum (Myrtaceae)". Telopea. 3 (3): 356–357.
  4. "Agonis elliptica". APNI. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  5. Cheel, Edwin (1932). "Notes on the Pericalymmae section of the genus Leptospermum (with descriptions of three new species)". Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales. 65: 199. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  6. "Leptospermum whitei". APNI. Retrieved 15 June 2020.