Melaleuca fulgens

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Scarlet honey myrtle
Melaleuca fulgens (flowers 1).JPG
Melaleuca fulgens in Kings Park
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species:
M. fulgens
Binomial name
Melaleuca fulgens
Synonyms [1]

Melaleuca fulgens, commonly known as the scarlet honey myrtle, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. It is notable for its showy orange, red or purple flowers, unusual foliage and fruit, and is a popular garden plant. It is a member of Melaleuca , a large and diverse genus whose members range from large trees such as M. quinquenervia , to small shrubs. [2]

Contents

Description

Melaleuca fulgens is a woody shrub growing to a height of 0.4–3 m (1–10 ft) with glabrous branchlets. Its leaves are arranged in alternating pairs at right angles to those immediately above and below (decussate) so that the leaves are in four rows along the stems. The leaves are grey-green, 8–35 mm (0.3–1 in) long, 0.7–5.5 mm (0.03–0.2 in) wide, varying in shape depending on subspecies but generally linear to egg-shaped. [3] [4] [5] [6]

The flowers are a shade of red, pink or white and are arranged in spikes on the sides of the branches. The spikes are up to 75 mm (3 in) in diameter and contain 6 to 20 individual flowers arranged in a decussate pattern. The stamens are arranged in five bundles around the flower, each bundle at least 20 mm (0.8 in) long and containing 22 to 80 stamens. The flowers appear from late winter to summer (July to December) and are followed by fruit which are woody capsules 4.2–7.2 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long, shaped like a squashed urn and arranged in alternating pairs along the stems. [3] [4]

Habit 10 km south of Tardun Melaleuca fulgens (habit).JPG
Habit 10 km south of Tardun
Fruit Melaleuca fulgens (fruits).JPG
Fruit

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca fulgens was one of the many species first formally described by the botanist Robert Brown, appearing in Hortus Kewensis in 1812. [7] [8] The specific epithet (fulgens) is derived from a Latin adjective meaning "bright-coloured" or "shining" and is related to the showy flowers. [3] [6]

Three subspecies are recognised, differentiated mainly by the length of their stamen filaments and from their distributions:

Distribution and habitat

This melaleuca is found in a broad area across Western Australia, from Kalbarri to the vicinity of Kalgoorlie, south to the southern coastline and in the border areas with South Australia and the Northern Territory, growing on sandy or gravelly soils, often on granite outcrops. [15]

Conservation status

Melaleuca fulgens is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. [15]

Use in horticulture

Melaleuca fulgens was introduced into cultivation in the United Kingdom in 1803 [2] and is commonly grown in Australian gardens, with several hybrids also available. [5] It is readily grown given sufficient moisture but needs good drainage as it is susceptible to fungal disease. Its attractive grey foliage and bright showy flowers are its horticultural features. [6] Light pruning improves flowering and improves the shrub's shape. [5] Plants may be propagated from seed, though propagation from semi-mature cuttings is preferred for cultivars to preserve flower colour and form. [16] One attractive form has apricot-coloured flowers. [17]

Related Research Articles

<i>Melaleuca linariifolia</i> Species of tree

Melaleuca linariifolia is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is commonly known as snow-in-summer, narrow-leaved paperbark, flax-leaved paperbark and in the language of the Gadigal people as budjur. A hardy plant, it flowers prolifically in late spring or summer, making it a popular garden shrub or small tree in temperate places. Melaleuca trichostachya is a similar species but its leaves are arranged differently and the fruits have projecting valves.

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

Melaleuca huegelii, commonly known as chenille honey-myrtle, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west coastal areas of Western Australia. It has small, almost scale-like leaves and flower spikes sometimes more than 100 millimetres (4 in) long on the ends many of its branches.

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

Melaleuca lanceolata commonly known as black paperbark, moonah, Rottnest Island teatree and western black tea tree is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is native to Australia where it occurs in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. It is a densely foliaged tree with rough bark, which flowers prolifically in summer.

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

Melaleuca elliptica, commonly known as the granite bottlebrush is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. The Noongar name for the plant is gnow. It is commonly grown in gardens because of its neat foliage and showy, bright red flower spikes although it needs to be pruned regularly to avoid becoming woody and untidy-looking. In nature, it usually grows in the shrub layer in mallee woodland or heath.

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 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 minutifolia</i> Species of tree

Melaleuca minutifolia, commonly known as teatree is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to northern Australia. As suggested by its name, it has tiny leaves but it also produces creamy white to white flowers throughout the year in its native range.

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

Melaleuca adenostyla is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a large, broom-like shrub to about 5 metres (16 ft) high with narrow leaves and cream-coloured flowers and which often grows in saline places.

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

Melaleuca coccinea, commonly known as the goldfields bottlebrush is a shrub in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic the south of Western Australia. It is distinguished by its unusual foliage and bottlebrush spikes of red flowers.

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

Melaleuca calycina is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a stiff, erect shrub with oval to heart-shaped leaves, white flowers and star-shaped fruit.

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

Melaleuca incana, commonly known as grey honey-myrtle, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia and is naturalised in the south of Victoria in Australia. It is commonly grown as a garden plant and produces large numbers of white or creamy yellow flowers, sometimes highly scented, in spring.

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

Melaleuca macronychia is a shrub in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Its large, red flower spikes and long flowering period contribute to its popularity as a garden plant. There are two subspecies, distinguished mainly by the shape of the leaves.

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

Melaleuca megacephala is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is native to the south-west of Western Australia. It is distinguished by its large, hemispherical heads of yellow and white flowers on the ends of the branches and the overlapping brown bracts under them.

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

Melaleuca pauperiflora, commonly known as boree, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is native to the southern parts of South Australia and Western Australia. It is distinguished by its short, thick leaves and small but profuse heads of white or cream flowers. There are three subspecies.

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

Melaleuca scabra, commonly known as rough honey-myrtle, is a species of shrub that is endemic to a small area on the south coast of Western Australia. It has warty leaves and profuse, pink to purple heads of flowers between July and November.

<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 subalaris is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is distinguished by its small, decussate leaves and small flower heads which rarely have more than one flower in each inflorescence.

Melaleuca fulgens subsp. fulgens, commonly known as the scarlet honey myrtle, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. In 1990, the species Melaleuca fulgens was separated into 3 subspecies and this is the most widespread of them. As with the other two subspecies, this one is notable for its showy flowers which are usually red but its foliage and fruits are also attractive features.

<i>Melaleuca fulgens <span style="font-style:normal;">subsp.</span> steedmanii</i> Subspecies of flowering plant

Melaleuca fulgens subsp. steedmanii, commonly known as the scarlet honey myrtle, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. In 1990, the species Melaleuca fulgens was separated into 3 subspecies. Of the two subspecies occurring in the south-west, this one has the narrower distribution, occurring mainly near Geraldton. As with the other subspecies, this one is notable for its showy flowers which are usually red but its foliage and fruits are also attractive features.

Melaleuca fulgens subsp. corrugata, commonly known as the wrinkled honey myrtle, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to an area near the border between Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory. In 1990, the species Melaleuca fulgens was separated into 3 subspecies. This subspecies has a disjunct distribution but is nevertheless very similar to the other two, only differing the colour of the flowers and small differences in the leaf shape and length of the stamens. As with the other subspecies, this one is notable for its showy flowers which are usually a shade of pink to mauve but its foliage and fruits are also attractive features.

References

  1. 1 2 "Melaleuca fulgens". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  2. 1 2 Elliot, Rodger W.; Jones, David L.; Blake. Trevor (1993). Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation:Volume 6 - K-M. Port Melbourne: Lothian Press. pp. 315–18, 339. ISBN   0-85091-589-9.
  3. 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. pp. 172–173. ISBN   9781922137517.
  4. 1 2 Holliday, Ivan (2004). Melaleucas : a field and garden guide (2nd ed.). Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Reed New Holland Publishers. pp. 112–119. ISBN   1876334983.
  5. 1 2 3 Walters, Brian. "Melaleuca fulgens". Australian Native Plant Society (Australia). Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 ANBG staff. "Melaleuca fulgens". Australian National Botanic Garden. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  7. ↑ Aiton, William Townsend (1812). Hortus Kewensis. London. p. 415. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  8. ↑ "Melaleuca fulgens". APNI. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  9. ↑ "Melaleuca fulgens subsp. fulgens". APNI. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  10. ↑ "Melaleuca fulgens subsp. fulgens". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  11. ↑ "Melaleuca fulgens subsp. steedmanii". APNI. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  12. ↑ "Melaleuca fulgens subsp. steedmanii". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  13. ↑ "Melaleuca fulgens subsp. corrugata". APNI. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
  14. ↑ "Melaleuca fulgens subsp. corrugata". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  15. 1 2 "Melaleuca fulgens". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  16. ↑ Elliot, Rodger (2003). Australian Plants for Mediterranean Climate Gardens. Rosenberg Publishing. p. 95. ISBN   1-877058-18-1.
  17. ↑ Wrigley, John W.; Fagg, Murray (1983). Australian native plants : a manual for their propagation, cultivation and use in landscaping (2 ed.). Sydney: Collins. p. 264. ISBN   0002165759.
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