Melaleuca orophila

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Needle bottlebrush
Callistemon teretifolius.jpg
Melaleuca orophila in the Peter Francis Points Arboretum, Coleraine
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species:
M. orophila
Binomial name
Melaleuca orophila
Synonyms [1]

Callistemon teretifolius F.Muell.

Melaleuca orophila, commonly known as needle bottlebrush or Flinders Ranges bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the eastern part of South Australia. (Some Australian state herbaria continue to use the name Callistemon teretifolius ). [2] It is a medium-sized shrub with sharp-pointed, needle-like leaves and bright red bottlebrush flower spikes.

Contents

Description

Melaleuca orophila is a shrub growing to 2 m (7 ft) tall with hard, fissured bark and rigid branches. Its leaves are arranged alternately and are 44–143 mm (2–6 in) long, 0.8–1.7 mm (0.03–0.07 in) wide, linear in shape and circular or almost so in cross section. [3] [4]

The flowers are bright red or orange-green and arranged in spikes on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering and also on the sides of the branches. The spikes are 40–55 mm (1.6–2.2 in) in diameter with 12 to 55 individual flowers. The petals are 3.5–7.4 mm (0.1–0.3 in) long and fall off as the flower ages and there are 25–42 stamens in each flower. Flowering occurs in spring and is followed by fruit which are woody capsules, 5.5–7.1 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long. [3] [4]

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca orophila was first named in 2006 by Lyndley Craven in Novon when he transferred the species from Callistemon . [5] [6] The specific epithet (orophila) is derived from the Greek words óros (ὄρος) meaning "mountain" and phílos (φίλος) meaning "loving", hence "mountain-loving", [6] in reference to the preferred habitat of this species. [3]

Callistemon teretifolius was first formally described in 1853 by botanist Ferdinand von Mueller in the journal Linnaea. [7] [8]

Callistemon teretifolius is regarded as a synonym of Melaleuca orophila by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. [9]

Distribution and habitat

Melaleuca orophila occurs mainly in the Flinders Ranges, especially between Williamstown and Mount Crawford. [4] It grows in mallee and woodland in rocky situations. [3]

Conservation

Melaleuca orophila is classified as "vulnerable" by the Government of South Australia Department for Environment and Heritage. [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Callistemon</i> Genus of flowering plants

Callistemon is a genus of shrubs in the family Myrtaceae, first described as a genus in 1814. The entire genus is endemic to Australia but widely cultivated in many other regions and naturalised in scattered locations. Their status as a separate taxon is in doubt, some authorities accepting that the difference between callistemons and melaleucas is not sufficient for them to be grouped in a separate genus.

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

Melaleuca viminalis, commonly known as weeping bottlebrush or creek bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. It is a multi-trunked, large shrub or tree with hard bark, often pendulous foliage and large numbers of bright red bottlebrush flowers in spring and summer. It is possibly the most commonly cultivated melaleuca in gardens and its cultivars are often grown in many countries.

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

Melaleuca comboynensis, commonly known as cliff bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. It is usually a shrub, similar to Melaleuca citrina with its hard leaves, spikes of red flowers and clusters of cup-shaped fruits but differs in that its leaves are generally wider and its habitat is usually rocky outcrops rather than along watercourses.

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

Melaleuca linearifolia, commonly known as netted bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to New South Wales in Australia.. It is a shrub with narrow, pointed leaves and red flower spikes in spring or summer.

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

Melaleuca pachyphylla, commonly known as wallum bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to near-coastal regions of New South Wales and Queensland in Australia.. It is a medium-sized shrub with a straggling habit and red, or sometimes greenish, bottlebrush flowers in summer.

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

Melaleuca pityoides, commonly known as alpine bottlebrush, is a plant in the family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the higher areas of south eastern Australia. Some Australian state herbaria continue to use the name Callistemon pityoides. It is a shrub, often occurring in dense thickets, with hard bark, silvery-grey new growth, almost cylindrical leaves and spikes of flowers that are usually a shade of yellow.

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

Melaleuca paludicola, commonly known as river bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is a shrub or small tree with flexible, often drooping branches, pinkish new growth and spikes of cream, pale yellow, or sometimes pink flowers in summer.

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

Melaleuca recurva, commonly known as Tinaroo bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to higher areas of far northern Queensland in Australia.. It is a shrub with spikes of red flowers tipped with yellow in most months of the year and which often has leaves with their edges curled under.

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

Melaleuca faucicola commonly known as desert bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the Northern Territory in Australia. It is a shrub or small tree growing only in protected gorges in the ranges of Central Australia such as the Petermann Ranges and has red, cream or white spikes of flowers.

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

Melaleuca pallida, commonly known as lemon bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to eastern Australia. It is an upright shrub with thin, spreading branches, silvery new growth and pale yellow, sometimes pinkish bottlebrush flowers.

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

Melaleuca chisholmii commonly known as Burra bottlebrush is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to Queensland. It is a shrub with rough bark, an open habit and spiky foliage but in winter has bright red flower spikes tipped with yellow.

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

Melaleuca flammea, commonly known as tapering-leaved bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. It is a shrub with broad, lance-shaped leaves which have wavy edges and taper gradually to a fine point. In spring it has typical bottlebrush flowers whose fiery colour gives the species its name.

Melaleuca hemisticta, commonly known as Mount Wheeler bottlebrush is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to coastal areas of Queensland. It is a tall, bushy shrub with dark green leaves and red flowers spikes tipped with yellow.

Melaleuca montis-zamia is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the Springsure district in Queensland, Australia. It is a shrub with red bottlebrush flowers.

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

Melaleuca pearsonii, commonly known as Blackdown bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to Queensland in Australia. It is a small, spreading but compact shrub with hard bark, soft foliage and profuse spikes of bottlebrush flowers in spring and summer.

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

Melaleuca polandii, commonly known as gold-tipped bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic a small area in far northern Queensland in Australia. It is a dense shrub with bronze-coloured, hairy new growth and spikes of red flowers tipped with yellow.

Melaleuca quercina, commonly known as Oakey bottlebrush is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area of Queensland in Australia. It is small tree with dark, corky bark and spikes of yellow, cream or pink bottlebrush flowers in spring and summer.

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

Melaleuca sabrina is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to a small area near the border between New South Wales and Queensland in Australia. It is a shrub with fibrous bark and red or pink bottlebrush flowers, tipped with yellow in spring and summer. It is similar to Melaleuca paludicola but distinguished from it by its stamens, which are almost twice as long as those of M. paludicola.

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

Melaleuca serpentina is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the Barraba district in Australia. It is a shrub with yellow or creamy-green bottlebrush flowers. It is similar to Melaleuca citrina but can be distinguished from that species by its flower colour and its shorter stamens.

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

Melaleuca wimmerensis, commonly known as the Wimmera bottlebrush, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the state of Victoria in Australia.. It is a recently (2008) discovered shrub, often with many stems arising from a lignotuber and is similar to Melaleuca paludicola but has pink or mauve flowers tipped with yellow anthers over a short period between October and early December.

References

  1. 1 2 "Melaleuca orophila". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  2. Udovicic, Frank; Spencer, Roger (2012). "New combinations in Callistemon (Myrtaceae)" (PDF). Muelleria. 30 (1): 23–25. doi:10.5962/p.292240. S2CID   251007557 . Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 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. 260. ISBN   9781922137517.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Callistemon teretifolius" (PDF). Government of South Australia Department for Environment and Heritage. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  5. "Melaleuca orophila". APNI. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  6. 1 2 Craven, Lyn A. (2006). "New Combinations in Melaleuca for Australian Species of Callistemon (Myrtaceae)". Novon. 16 (4): 472. doi:10.3417/1055-3177(2006)16[468:NCIMFA]2.0.CO;2. S2CID   84723155 . Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  7. "Callistemon teretifolius". APNI. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  8. von Mueller, Ferdinand (1853). "Diagnoses et descriptiones plantarum novarum, quas in Nova Hollandia". Linnaea. 25: 387–388. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
  9. "Callistemon teretifolius". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.