Melaleuca fissurata | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Myrtaceae |
Genus: | Melaleuca |
Species: | M. fissurata |
Binomial name | |
Melaleuca fissurata | |
Melaleuca fissurata is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with rough bark, dished leaves and heads of white or yellow flowers in spring. It is closely related to Melaleuca lateriflora but differs from it in having roughly textured, corky fruit and shorter, convex shaped leaves.
Melaleuca fissurata is a shrub growing up to 4 m (10 ft) tall with rough bark. Its leaves are arranged alternately, 3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and 1.5–3 mm (0.06–0.1 in) wide and broadly elliptical in shape. In cross section the leaves are concave or dished. [2] [3]
The white or yellow flowers are arranged in heads on the sides of the branches. The heads are up to 25 mm (0.98 in) in diameter and contain one to 5 individual flowers. The petals are 2–4.7 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long and fall after the flower opens. The stamens are arranged in five bundles around the flower, each bundle containing 10 to 16 stamens. Flowers appear in early spring and are followed by fruit which are woody capsules 5–7 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and roughly textured on the outside. [2] [3]
Melaleuca fissurata was first formally described in 1986 by Bryan Barlow in Nuytsia . [4] [5] The specific epithet (fissurata) is from the Latin fissura meaning "crack" or "cleft", referring to the cracked surface of the fruit. [3]
Melaleuca fissurata is found between the Hyden and Scaddan districts [3] in the Mallee biogeographic region. [6] It grows in sand and sandy loam on samphire flats and salt pans.
This species is classified "Priority Four" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife [6] meaning that it is "rare, threatened or ... in need of monitoring". [7] It is included in the IUCN red list of threatened plants, classified as "rare". [8]
Melaleuca preissiana, commonly known as stout paperbark, modong or moonah, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to coastal areas of southwest Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with papery bark, small leaves and spikes of usually white flowers. It occurs chiefly in areas that are seasonally wet.
Melaleuca viminea, commonly known as mohan is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is variable in size and form from a densely branched, small shrub to a small tree. It has become naturalised locally in southern Victoria.
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.
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.
Melaleuca strobophylla is a shrub or small tree in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has papery bark, sharply pointed, twisted leaves and rather long spikes of creamy white flowers in summer.
Melaleuca araucarioides is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area of the south-west Western Australia. It is a many-branched shrub with the leaves arranged in a way that gives the plant the appearance of a conifer.
Melaleuca apostiba is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It was first described in 1990 by Kirsten Cowley and remains a poorly known species. It resembles Melaleuca lateritia except for its hairy leaves and flower structures as well as its leaf shape and size.
Melaleuca lecanantha is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area of south-west Western Australia. It is a shrub with small, rather fleshy leaves and pink to lilac-coloured flowers in early spring. The plant was first described in 1867 but the name given to it was considered illegitimate and it was not until 1998 that it was first formally described.
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 but was raised to species status in 2010.
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.
Melaleuca ochroma is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is very similar to Melaleuca subfalcata, varying mainly in the length of its stamens and styles. Like M. subfalcata, it has pink to mauve flowers and leaves that are very hairy when young but become glabrous when mature.
Melaleuca ordinifolia is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is closely related to Melaleuca brevifolia, but is smaller and differing mainly in its leaf features.
Melaleuca pomphostoma is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, dense shrub with fleshy, narrow leaves, greenish-yellow flowers. It is similar and closely related to Melaleuca bracteosa but differs in the colour and number of stamens in each flower.
Melaleuca pritzelii is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It was originally named in 1923 by Karel Domin as a subspecies Melaleuca densa var. pritzelii but raised to species status in 1992. It is a rare species, known only from a few plants in each of a small number of populations.
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.
Melaleuca ringens is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It shares some features with Melaleuca diosmifolia but has creamy yellow flower spikes and a lower, more spreading form.
Melaleuca sculponeata is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, rare shrub with fleshy leaves and white heads of flowers.
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 teuthidoides is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a shrub with rough bark and heads of white flowers on the ends of its branches in spring and early summer.
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.