Melaleuca acutifolia

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Melaleuca acutifolia
Melaleuca acutifolia.jpg
In the ANBG.
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species:
M. acutifolia
Binomial name
Melaleuca acutifolia
Synonyms [1]
  • Melaleuca lateriflora var. acutifoliaBenth.
  • Melaleuca lateriflora subsp. acutifolia(Benth.) Craven

Melaleuca acutifolia is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has small, pointed, oval leaves and in summer, heads of white flowers. The species was originally described as a variety of Melaleuca lateriflora [2] but was raised to species status in 2010.

Contents

Habit in Manea Park, Bunbury Melaleuca acutifolia (habit).JPG
Habit in Manea Park, Bunbury
Foliage and fruit Melaleuca acutifolia (foliage and fruits).JPG
Foliage and fruit

Description

Melaleuca acutifolia is a shrub or small tree which grows to a height of about 6 m (20 ft) and has grey papery bark. The leaves are arranged alternately and are 7–25 mm (0.3–1 in) long, 2–7.5 mm (0.08–0.3 in) wide, oval to very narrow oval in shape, tapering to a point and often with a few fine hairs on the surface.

The flowers are white and in heads on the previous year's shoots, each head containing up to 15 flowers and up to 25 mm (1 in) in diameter. The stamens are in five bundles around the flower, each bundle with 10 to 22 stamens. Flowering occurs in summer and the fruit that follow are woody capsules 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca lateriflora var. acutifolia was first described in 1867 by George Bentham in Flora Australiensis . [2] [4] It was raised to species status as Melaleuca acutifolia in 2010 by Lyndley Craven and Brendan Lepschi. [5] [6] The specific epithet (acutifolia) is from the Latin acutus meaning "pointed" and folium meaning "leaf". [3]

Distribution and habitat

This species occurs in the Kalbarri and Yalgoo districts south to the Waroona district in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Murchison, Swan Coastal Plain and Yalgoo biogeographic regions. It grows in woodland and dense heath in clay loam and sandy clay, sometimes on the edge of saltpans. [3] [7]

Conservation status

This species is classified as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. [7]

Related Research Articles

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Melaleuca amydra is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is similar to Melaleuca ryeae with its small, compact form, oval leaves and "pom-pom" heads of pink to purple flower heads on the ends of the branches in spring.

<i>Melaleuca atroviridis</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Melaleuca barlowii</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Melaleuca beardii</i> Species of flowering plant

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Melaleuca boeophylla is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is similar to a number of other Western Australian melaleucas such as M. filifolia with its purple pom-pom flower heads but its leaves are shorter and oval in cross-section.

<i>Melaleuca campanae</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca campanae is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, woody shrub similar to Melaleuca eulobata, with a low, spreading habit and pinkish flower heads but it has longer, pointed leaves and lacks distinct sepals which instead form a ring of tissue around the edge of the flowers.

<i>Melaleuca carrii</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca carrii is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small shrub similar to Melaleuca pentagona, with "pom-pom" heads of pinkish flowers and sharply pointed leaves but it is generally smaller, lacks a groove in its leaves and retains its petals on the flowers for longer than that species.

<i>Melaleuca osullivanii</i> Species of plant

Melaleuca osullivanii is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It was first formally described in 2004 after a review of the broombush group, Melaleuca uncinata. It differs from others in the group by having leaves that are fine and circular in cross section. The closest other broombrush is Melaleuca hamata whose leaves are 0.8–1.6 mm (0.03–0.06 in) in diameter compared to 0.7–0.9 mm (0.03–0.04 in) for this species.

<i>Melaleuca scalena</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca scalena is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. Plants of this species were previously included in Melaleuca uncinata or broombush until a review of that species in 2004. Its leaves are narrow cylinders, the flowers in small yellow heads and the fruits tightly packed together in oval clusters. This species is very similar to Melaleuca hamata but the plants have a comparatively scruffy or less strong and healthy appearance.

<i>Melaleuca systena</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca systena, commonly known as coastal honeymyrtle is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It was previously known as Melaleuca acerosa. It is a small shrub with crowded foliage and profuse heads of white to yellow flowers on the ends of its branches in spring.

<i>Melaleuca vinnula</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca vinnula is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with narrow leaves, heads of white to yellow flowers followed by tight clusters of fruit and it is found in the wheatbelt. It is a newly-described species from a review of the group of melaleucas known as broombrush.

<i>Melaleuca zeteticorum</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca zeteticorum is a shrub in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with narrow leaves and pale to bright yellow flowers in spring. Its species name zeteticorum was given "in honour of these persons who for their enjoyment explore natural vegetation communities to become familiar with their constituent species".

<i>Melaleuca leiopyxis</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca leiopyxis is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to an area near the west coast of Western Australia. It has bright yellow flowers and is very similar to Melaleuca depressa. The ranges of the two species overlap making it difficult to distinguish between them.

<i>Melaleuca marginata</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca marginata is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is distinguished by its prickly leaves and its flowers occurring in long sections of the branches. From 1922 to 2011 was known as Melaleuca coronicarpa.

<i>Melaleuca dichroma</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca dichroma is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is unusual for its genus in that its flowers are yellow or creamy-white but age to a pinkish-red.

<i>Melaleuca lateriflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca lateriflora, commonly known as gorada, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is usually an erect shrub with oval leaves and small clusters of white flowers mainly along the older branches.

<i>Melaleuca protrusa</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca protrusa is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with papery bark, narrow leaves with a hooked end and cream-coloured or yellow flowers. Although it was described as late as 2010, it is not considered a rare or endangered species. It resembles other members of the brushwood group such as M. uncinata, M. atroviridis and M. zeteticorum.

<i>Melaleuca spectabilis</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca spectabilis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It was formerly known as a subspecies of Melaleuca longistaminea. It is a low, prickly shrub with yellow or lime-green flowers in spring and early summer.

Melaleuca calcicola is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It was formerly known as a subspecies of Melaleuca apodocephala but was reassessed in 2010 and raised to species status. Its branches are corky, the leaves pointed although not prickly and the flowers are creamy white, tipped with yellow.

Melaleuca genialis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a rare species, known from one nature reserve. It is similar to Melaleuca tinkeri, mainly differing from it in having hairy leaves and petals.

References

  1. 1 2 "Melaleuca acutifolia". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Melaleuca lateriflora var. acutifolia". APNI. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 Brophy, Joseph J.; Craven, Lyndley A.; Doran, John C. (2013). Melaleucas : their botany, essential oils and uses. Canberra: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. p. 68. ISBN   9781922137517.
  4. Bentham, George; von Mueller, Ferdinand (1867). Flora Australiensis. 3. London: Lovell Reeve & Co. p. 136. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  5. Craven, Lyndley; Lepschi, Brendan; Cowley, Kirsten. "Melaleuca (Myrtaceae) of Western Australia: five new species, three new combinations, one new name and a new state record". Nuytsia. 20: 27–36.
  6. "Melaleuca acutifolia". APNI. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Melaleuca acutifolia". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.