Melaleuca interioris

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Melaleuca interioris
Melaleuca interioris (leaves and flowers).jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species:
M. interioris
Binomial name
Melaleuca interioris
Craven & Lepschi

Melaleuca interioris is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and the Northern Territory. It was formerly included in Melaleuca uncinata and is similar to that species with its cylinder-shaped leaves and small heads of yellow flowers, but with smaller, less compressed fruiting capsules.

Contents

Description

Melaleuca interioris is a shrub growing to 3 m (10 ft) tall with papery bark. Its leaves are spreading or erect and are 6–56 mm (0.2–2 in) long, 06–1.2 mm (0.2–0.05 in) wide, linear in shape, roughly circular to oblong in cross-section and end in a sharp point. [1]

The flowers are yellow and are arranged in heads which are composed of 4 to 9 groups of flowers in threes. The petals are 1.1–1.3 mm (0.04–0.05 in) long, circular to egg-shaped and fall off as the flower opens. There are five bundles of stamens around the flower, each with 4 to 9 stamens. Flowering occurs between August and November and is followed by fruit which are woody capsules, 3.8–8 mm (0.1–0.3 in) wide, about the same length as width. The capsules remain separate from each other (whereas in Melaleuca uncinata they tend to become compressed together so that they look like a single fruit). [1]

Habit near Lake Raeside Melaleuca interioris (habit).jpg
Habit near Lake Raeside
Fruit Melaleuca interioris (fruit).jpg
Fruit

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca interioris was first formally described in 2004 by Lyndley Craven and Brendan Lepschi in Australian Systematic Botany [2] from a specimen collected 134 kilometres (80 mi) north of Leinster in Western Australia. [3] The specific epithet (interioris) refers to the interior of Australia, where this species is found. [1]

Distribution and habitat

This melaleuca occurs in the central parts of Western Australia, [4] the central parts of South Australia, the southern half of the Northern Territory, far west of New South Wales [5] and the far south-west corner of Queensland. [1] It grows in shrubland in red sand on the edges of salt lakes, and near ephemeral creeks, claypans and floodplains. [1] [4]

Conservation status

Melaleuca interioris is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. [4]

Uses in agriculture

Melaleuca interioris and related species of melaleucas such as M. uncinata and M. atroviridis can be used to protect property from wind and water erosion, reduce salinity and waterlogging, provide wildlife habitat and provide income by harvesting for brushwood fencing. [6]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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

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

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<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 calyptroides</i> Species of flowering plant

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.

<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 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 scalena</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca scalena is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. Plants of this species were previously included in Melaleuca uncinata or broombush until a review of that species in 2004. Its leaves are narrow cylinders, the flowers in small yellow heads and the fruits tightly packed together in oval clusters. This species is very similar to Melaleuca hamata but the plants have a comparatively scruffy or less strong and healthy appearance.

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

Melaleuca stereophloia is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south west of Western Australia. It is similar to the broombush, Melaleuca uncinata with its needle-like leaves and heads of yellow to white flowers, but its back is hard and fibrous rather than papery.

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

Melaleuca vinnula is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with narrow leaves, heads of white to yellow flowers followed by tight clusters of fruit and it is found in the wheatbelt. It is a newly-described species from a review of the group of melaleucas known as broombrush.

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

Melaleuca zeteticorum 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 and pale to bright yellow flowers in spring. Its species name zeteticorum was given "in honour of these persons who for their enjoyment explore natural vegetation communities to become familiar with their constituent species".

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

Melaleuca uncinata, commonly known as broombush, broom honeymyrtle or brushwood, is a plant in the paperbark family native to southern Australia. It is harvested from the wild, and grown in plantations, for broombush fencing. The Noongar names for the plant are kwytyat and yilbarra.

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

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.

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

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.

<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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 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. 205. ISBN   9781922137517.
  2. Craven, Lyn A.; Lepschi, Brendan J.; Broadhurst, Linda; Byrne, Margaret (2004). "Taxonomic revision of the broombush complex in Western Australia (Myrtaceae, Melaleuca uncinata s.l.)". Australian Systematic Botany. 17 (3): 263. doi:10.1071/SB04001.
  3. "Melaleuca interioris". APNI. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 "Melaleuca interioris". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  5. "Melaleuca interioris". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney:PlantNet. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
  6. "Integrated brushwood plantings for natural resource management benefits to farming systems" (PDF). Avongrow Wheatbelt Tree Croppping. Retrieved 12 May 2015.