Melaleuca dichroma

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Melaleuca dichroma
Melaleuca dichroma.jpg
Melaleuca dichroma in the Gunyidi Nature Reserve
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species:
M. dichroma
Binomial name
Melaleuca dichroma
Synonyms
  • Melaleuca urceolatus var. virgataBarlow
  • Melaleuca virgata(Benth.) Craven

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.

Contents

habit Melaleuca dichroma habit.jpg
habit
fruit Melaleuca dichroma fruit.jpg
fruit

Description

Melaleuca dichroma is a shrub which can grow to a height of 1 m (3 ft). The leaves are arranged alternately, linear to narrow oval in shape, 3.7–15.5 mm (0.1–0.6 in) long, 0.5–1.3 mm (0.02–0.05 in) wide and lack a stalk. [1] [2]

The flowers are arranged in heads near the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering, sometimes in the upper leaf axils. There are one to four groups of three flowers in each head, the heads up to 15 mm (0.6 in) in diameter. The flowers appear in spring and are initially pale yellow to creamy-white but fade to pinkish-red. The petals are 0.8–1.2 mm (0.03–0.05 in) long and fall off as the flowers age. The stamens are arranged in bundles of five around the flower, with 6 to 13 stamens in each bundle. Flowering occurs from August to November and is followed by fruit which are woody capsules 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long in clusters. [1] [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca urceolaris subsp. virgata was first formally described in 1867 by George Bentham in Flora Australiensis. [3] [4] In 1999 it was raised to species status as Melaleuca virgata by Lyndley Craven and Brendan Lepschi but the name was not valid. [5] [6] The name was changed in 2001 to Melaleuca dichroma by Craven and Lepschi in Australian Systematic Botany . [7] [8] The specific epithet (dichroma) is from the Greek di- meaning "two" or "double" and chroma, "colour", referring to the two colour phases of the flowers as they age. [1]

This species is closely related to Melaleuca urceolaris , differing mainly in the arrangement of the flowers. [2]

Distribution and habitat

Melaleuca dichroma occurs in the Arrino, Hill River and Moora districts in the Avon Wheatbelt, Geraldton Sandplains and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions. [9] It grows in sandy, gravelly and loamy soils. [1]

Ecology

Melaleuca gnidioides is a distantly related species whose flowers also change colour as they age. It may signal to pollinators that a reward is no longer available. [1]

Conservation status

Melaleuca dichroma is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. [9]

Use in horticulture

This species is not well known in cultivation, but the similar Melaleuca urceolaris has been grown successfully for its showy flowers and interesting foliage, suggesting that Melaleuca dichroma may also have horticultural merit, especially for its two-tone flowers. [1]

Related Research Articles

Melaleuca penicula is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a rare species only known from the Fitzgerald River National Park and resembles Melaleuca eximia with its spikes of red flowers but its leaves and stamen bundles are different.

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

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

Melaleuca atroviridis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It was formerly included in the species Melaleuca uncinata but a review of that species lead to the identification of a number of new species. Like M. uncinata, this species is used for the production of brushwood fencing. It has fewer stamens in the flowers and somewhat smaller clusters of fruit but has the same needle-like leaves with a hooked end and spikes of creamy yellow flowers in early summer.

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

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<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 clavifolia</i> Species of shrub

Melaleuca clavifolia 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 tinkeri, with "pom-pom" heads of pinkish flowers and soft, silky hairs on the new growth but it has larger flower heads and its leaves are shorter, more club-shaped and have less distinct oil glands.

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

Melaleuca croxfordiae is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the far south-west of corner Western Australia. It is a paperbark, usually growing in winter-wet places, with long, narrow leaves and a few small creamy coloured flower heads in early summer.

Melaleuca eximia is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is distinguished by its leaf arrangement, its large, showy red inflorescences and the large, furry bracts under the flowers.

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

Melaleuca exuvia is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is easily distinguished by its unusual rough, minni ritchi bark which peels to reveal a new layer of smooth, salmon-pink bark. It is a newly described (2004) species which was formerly included in Melaleuca uncinata.

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

Melaleuca fabri is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It features strap-like leaves with distinct veins and spikes of pinkish flowers, the buds of which are covered with short, soft, silky hairs.

Melaleuca grieveana is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is similar to Melaleuca brophyi with its heads of yellow flowers and almost cylindrical leaves. The main difference is that the leaves of this species, but not those of Melaleuca brophyi are covered with soft hairs.

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

Melaleuca hnatiukii is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a medium to large shrub with arching branches, prickly tipped leaves and creamy-white heads of flowers in spring or early summer.

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

Melaleuca orbicularis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is similar to Melaleuca cordata with its pinkish "pom-pom" heads of flowers but its leaves are smaller, almost circular compared to the heart shaped leaves of the other 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 phoidophylla</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca phoidophylla is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is distinguished by its leaf arrangement, small raised blisters on the leaves and heads of white or cream flowers on the ends of the branches in spring.

Melaleuca procera is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, spindly shrub with cylinder-shaped leaves and heads of pinkish flowers in later spring or early summer.

<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 tinkeri</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca tinkeri is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is one of the smallest melaleucas and is distinguished by its warty, hairy leaves, heads of pinkish flowers in late winter to spring and its spherical fruiting clusters.

Melaleuca venusta is a shrub in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the west coast of Western Australia. It is a shrub with silvery leaves and heads of pink to purple flowers which fade to white and with a restricted distribution, north of the Murchison River district.

Melaleuca villosisepala 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, heads of pink to mauve flowers that fade to white and is similar to Melaleuca wonganensis except that its heads of flowers are smaller and pinkish rather than deep purple.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 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. 148. ISBN   9781922137517.
  2. 1 2 3 Holliday, Ivan (2004). Melaleucas : a field and garden guide (2nd ed.). Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Reed New Holland Publishers. p. 302. ISBN   1876334983.
  3. "Melaleuca urceolaris var. virgata". APNI. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  4. Bentham, George; von Mueller, Ferdinand (1867). Flora Australienses (Volume III). London: Lovell Reeve and Co. pp. 154–155. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  5. "Melaleuca virgata". APNI. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  6. Craven, L. A.; Lepschi, B. J. (1999). "Enumeration of the species and infraspecific taxa of Melaleuca (Myrtaceae) occurring in Australia and Tasmania". Australian Systematic Botany. 12 (6): 819–928. doi:10.1071/SB98019 . Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  7. "Melaleuca dichroma". APNI. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  8. Craven, L. A.; Lepschi, B. J. (2001). "Melaleuca dichroma, a new name for M. virgata (Benth.) Craven, nom. Illeg. (Myrtaceae)". Australian Systematic Botany. 14 (6): 971. doi:10.1071/SB01024 . Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  9. 1 2 "Melaleuca dichroma". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.