Leptospermum wooroonooran

Last updated

Leptospermum wooroonooran
Leptospermum wooroonooran.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Leptospermum
Species:
L. wooroonooran
Binomial name
Leptospermum wooroonooran
Habit near the Devil's Thumb Leptospermum wooroonooran habit.jpg
Habit near the Devil's Thumb

Leptospermum wooroonooran, commonly known as wurunuru or mountain teatree, [2] 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.

Contents

Description

Leptospermum wooroonooran is a stunted, sometimes prostrate tree that typically grows to a height of 1–6 m (3 ft 3 in–19 ft 8 in). It has thin, rough, fibrous or flaky bark, the young stems silky hairy at first with a broad flange near the leaf base. The leaves are lance-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, 15–20 mm (0.59–0.79 in) long and 3–7 mm (0.12–0.28 in) wide and strongly-scented when crushed. The flowers are white, 12–20 mm (0.47–0.79 in) in diameter and arranged singly on short side shoots. The flower buds have thin, papery, reddish brown bracts at the base but that fall before the flower opens. The floral cup is glabrous,3.5–4.5 mm (0.14–0.18 in) long and the sepals are broadly egg-shaped, about 2 mm (0.079 in) long. The petals are 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) long and the stamens 1.5–2 mm (0.059–0.079 in) or more long. Flowering mainly in November and the fruit is a capsule 4–5 m (13–16 ft) wide that remains on the plant at maturity. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Leptospermum wooroonooran was first formally described in 1889 by Frederick Manson Bailey in Archibald Meston's report to the Queensland Government on his Government Scientific Expedition to the Bellenden-Ker Range (Woonooroonan). [4] [5]

Distribution and habitat

Wurunuru grows on windswept ridges on the mountains north-west of Mossman, in the Mount Spurgeon-Mount Lewis area and in the Bellenden Ker Range in north Queensland. [2]

Use in horticulture

This teatree is sometimes grown in gardens, is suitable for heavy shade and is frost hardy but requires cool, moist conditions. [2] [6]

Related Research Articles

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

Leptospermum recurvum is a species of shrub or tree that is endemic to Mount Kinabalu in Malaysian Borneo. 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>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>Leptospermum petersonii</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum petersonii, commonly known as lemon-scented teatree, is a species of shrub or small tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has thin, fibrous or flaky bark, often strongly-scented elliptic to lance-shaped leaves, white flowers and fruit that are retained for several years. It is commonly grown as an ornamental and is regarded as a minor environmental weed in some areas.

<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 spectabile</i> Species of shrub

Leptospermum spectabile is a species of shrub that is endemic to a small area of New South Wales. It has thin bark, narrow elliptic leaves, dark red flowers arranged singly on short side shoots and relatively large fruit.

<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.

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.

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 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 parvifolium</i> Australian species of plant

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

<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 glabrescens</i> Species of plant

Leptospermum glabrescens, commonly known as the smooth teatree, is a shrub or small tree that is endemic to East Gippsland in Victoria, Australia. It has linear, elliptic or narrow egg-shaped leaves, white flowers arranged singly on short side shoots and fruit that remain on the plant.

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

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.

<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 minutifolium, commonly known as the small-leaved tea-tree, is a species of shrub that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has relatively small egg-shaped leaves, white flowers borne singly on the ends of branches and fruit that remains on the plant.

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

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.

<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.

<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. "Leptospermum wooroonooran". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Leptospermum wooroonooran". Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  3. Thompson, Joy (1989). "A revision of the genus Leptospermum (Myrtaceae)". Telopea. 3 (3): 392–393. doi: 10.7751/telopea19894902 .
  4. "Leptospermum wooroonooran". APNI. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  5. Bailey, Frederick M.; Meston, Alexander (ed.) (1889). Report of the government scientific expedition to the Bellenden- Ker range upon the flora and fauna of that part of the colony. Brisbane: Government Printer. p. 40. Retrieved 16 June 2020.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  6. "Leptospermum woonooroonan". Australian National Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 16 June 2020.