| Melaleuca hollidayi | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Melaleuca |
| Species: | M. hollidayi |
| Binomial name | |
| Melaleuca hollidayi | |
Melaleuca hollidayi is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a small shrub with fine hairs like spider web on its leaves, and bright pink flowers.
Melaleuca hollidayi is a shrub growing to 1.3 m (4 ft), usually less but often spreading to more than 1 m (3 ft) wide and which has papery bark. Its leaves are arranged alternately, linear in shape, oval in cross section, 5–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) long, 0.5–0.8 mm (0.02–0.03 in) wide with a rounded end and a covering of fine hairs like spider silk. [1] [2]
The flowers are a shade of deep pink to purple, arranged in heads on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering and sometimes in the upper leaf axils. The heads are up to 22 mm (0.9 in) in diameter and composed of 2 to 9 groups of flowers in threes. The petals are 1.5–2.6 mm (0.06–0.1 in) long and fall off as the flower opens. There are five bundles of stamens around the flower, each with 5 to 10 stamens. Flowering occurs between August and November and is followed by fruit which are woody capsules, usually 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long, in small, loose clusters around the stem. [1] [2]
Melaleuca hollidayi was first formally described in 1999 by Lyndley Craven in Australian Systematic Botany from a specimen collected near Scaddan. [3] [4] The specific epithet (hollidayi) honours Ivan Holliday, an Australian author of books about native plants who did much to promote the use of indigenous plants in cultivation, including Melaleuca species. [1]
Melaleuca hollidayi occurs in the Kalbarri and Mullewa [1] districts in the Esperance Plains and Mallee biogeographic regions. [5] It grows in sandy soils on sandplains [6] in heath, often with Banksia species. [1]
Melaleuca hollidayi is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. [5]
Melaleuca barlowii 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. conothamnoides with its purple pom-pom flower heads but is a more erect shrub with different leaves and the fruiting clusters have a different shape.
Melaleuca caeca 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. pentagona with its purple pom-pom flower heads but it is a smaller shrub with narrower leaves and smaller inflorescences.
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.
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.
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.
Melaleuca calyptroides 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. hollidayi with its almost cylindrical leaves, purple pom-pom flower heads and low growth habit but it has longer, wartier leaves and fewer flowers in the inflorescences. The floral cup and woody capsule from which it develops are longer than those of similar melaleucas.Melaleuca calyptroides close.jpg
Melaleuca eulobata is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the west coast of Western Australia. It is a shrub resembling Melaleuca campanae with its heads of pink flowers in late spring but is distinguished from that species by its sepals - in M. campane these are reduced to a ring of tissue but M. eulobata has distinct calyx lobes.
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.
Melaleuca idana is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small shrub with fine, silky hairs covering the new foliage and heads of pink to deep purple flowers in early spring. It is similar to Melaleuca sapientes, differing mainly in the shape of the leaves in cross-section and the length of its styles.
Melaleuca johnsonii is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is similar to Melaleuca thapsina with its cylindrical leaves with prickly tips and usually yellow heads of flowers but is distinguished from it by its shorter leaves and papery sepals.
Melaleuca keigheryi is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae with white, papery bark and is endemic to the west coast of Western Australia. In spring, it has heads of pink flowers which fade in color to become white.
Melaleuca leuropoma is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small to medium-sized shrub which flowers over an extended period with flower colour varying from purple to yellow or white. The glossy, often brown petals covering the flower buds are also an unusual characteristic of this species.
Melaleuca linguiformis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It is a shrub with hairy new growth, small leaves and heads of white flowers similar to Melaleuca teuthidoides shorter sepals and more stamens in each flower.
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.
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.
Melaleuca ryeae is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. It is a small shrub, closely resembling Melaleuca amydra with its small leaves and profuse heads of pink to purple flowers but M.amydra has narrower leaves and does not have spherical clusters of fruits.
Melaleuca sapientes is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small shrub with silky grey leaves and small heads of pinkish flowers in spring or early summer. The attractive, silvery foliage has made this melaleuca a popular garden plant under the incorrect name of Melaleuca holosericea, a similar but much rarer species.
Melaleuca similis 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 stramentosa with its narrow, almost cylindrical leaves and heads of pink to purple flowers but lacks the matted, silky hairs on the young leaves and outer edge of the flower cup.
Melaleuca societatis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. It is a dwarf shrub with small, fleshy leaves and many heads of pink or purple flowers in spring, followed by "soccer-ball" fruit.
Melaleuca stramentosa is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small, bushy shrub similar to Melaleuca similis with its cylindrical leaves and heads of pink to purple flowers but differs in have matted, woolly hairs around the flowers and on the young leaves.