Melaleuca genialis

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Melaleuca genialis
Status DECF P2.svg
Priority Two — Poorly Known Taxa (DEC)
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species:
M. genialis
Binomial name
Melaleuca genialis
Lepschi

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. (The leaves of M. tinkeri are glabrous.)

Contents

Description

Melaleuca genialis is a shrub growing to about 1.2 m (4 ft) tall. Its branchlets are covered with soft, silky hairs when young but become glabrous with age. The leaves are arranged alternately, 6.7–10 mm (0.3–0.4 in) long, 0.8–1.1 mm (0.03–0.04 in) wide, linear to narrow egg-shaped and tapering to a non-prickly point. They are also covered with soft, silky hairs and have single mid-vein. [1] [2]

The flowers are a shade of pink to purple and are arranged in heads on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering. The heads are 11–14 mm (0.4–0.6 in) in diameter and contain 5 to 7 groups of flowers in threes. The petals are 0.8–1.1 mm (0.03–0.04 in) long and fall off as the flower matures. The stamens are arranged in five bundles around the flower, each bundle containing 2 to 5 stamens. The main flowering season is in October and is followed by fruit which are woody capsules 2.5–3.3 mm (0.1–0.1 in) long. [1] [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca genialis was first formally described as a new species in 2010 by Brendan J. Lepschi. [2] [3] The specific epithet (genialis) is from the Latin word meaning "jovial" or "pleasant", referring to "the staff at the Western Australian Herbarium in the 1990s". [1]

Distribution and habitat

Melaleuca genialis has a restricted distribution in a nature reserve near Wagin in the Avon Wheatbelt biogeographic region. It grows in woodland in clay soils. [4]

Conservation status

Melaleuca genialis is listed as "Priority Two" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife [4] meaning it may be threatened but is poorly known, only occurring in a few locations. [5]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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

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

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<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 sapientes</i> Species of shrub

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

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

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<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.

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.

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

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<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.

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

Melaleuca ulicoides is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a small, densely foliaged shrub with small heads of white or cream flowers in spring. It is closely related to Melaleuca marginata but can be distinguished from it by the number and character of leaf veins.

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.

References

  1. 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. 174. ISBN   9781922137517.
  2. 1 2 3 Craven, Lyndley; Lepschi, Brendan; Cowley, Kirsten (2010). "Melaleuca (Myrtaceae) of Western Australia: five new species, three new combinations, one new name and a new state record" (PDF). Nuytsia. 20: 31–32. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  3. "Melaleuca genialis". APNI. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Melaleuca genialis". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  5. "Conservation codes for Western Australian Flora and Fauna" (PDF). Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved 31 March 2020.