Melaleuca radula

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Graceful honey-myrtle
Melaleuca radula 01 gnangarra.jpg
Melaleuca radula
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species:
M. radula
Binomial name
Melaleuca radula
Synonyms [1]

Myrtoleucodendron radula(Lindl.) Kuntze

Melaleuca radula, commonly known as graceful honey-myrtle, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an open, spreading shrub with narrow leaves, profuse pink or purple flowers in late winter and smooth, almost spherical fruits.

Contents

Description

Melaleuca radula is a spreading shrub, growing to 5 m (20 ft) tall with coarse bark. Its leaves are arranged in alternating pairs (decussate) so that they make four rows along the branches. The leaves are 10–45 mm (0.4–2 in) long, 0.7–2 mm (0.03–0.08 in) wide, linear to elliptic in shape with the sides turned up so that they are crescent moon-shaped in cross section. There are prominent oil glands on the lower surface. [2] [3]

The flowers are white or more usually a shade of pink to mauve. They are arranged in pairs of up to 5, the flowers on opposite sides of the branches forming a spike up to 40 mm (2 in) long and 30 mm (1 in) in diameter. The petals are 4.5–6.5 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long and fall off as the flower matures. There are five bundles of stamens around the flower, each with 30 to 90 stamens giving the spike a fluffy appearance. Flowering mostly occurs from July to September, and is followed by fruit which are woody, almost spherical capsules, 4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in) in diameter in clusters along the stem. [2] [3]

Habit on Mt. O'Brien near Wongan Hills Melaleuca radula (habit).JPG
Habit on Mt. O'Brien near Wongan Hills
Fruits and curved leaf margins Melaleuca radula (fruits).JPG
Fruits and curved leaf margins

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca radula was first formally described in 1839 by John Lindley in an appendix to Edwards Botanical Register entitled A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony . [4] The specific epithet (radula) is derived from Latin word meaning “a scraper” [5] but it is not clear why Lindley chose this name. [2]

Distribution and habitat

This melaleuca occurs in and between the Kalbarri, Perth and Norseman districts [2] in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee, Murchison, Swan Coastal Plain and Yalgoo biogeographic regions. [6] It grows in sandy and gravelly soils often near granite or laterite and near creeks and streams. [7]

Conservation

Melaleuca radula is listed as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. [6]

Aboriginal (Noongar) uses

The leaves were boiled with water to make antiseptic mouthwashes for treating sore gums and for external application to sores and other skin problems. Internally, the decoction was used for upset stomachs and indigestion. Young leaves were chewed for headaches. [8]

The compound, terpinen-4-ol, is thought to be responsible for the antibacterial and antiseptic quality of the melaleuca oil. [8] [9]

Related Research Articles

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Melaleuca cardiophylla, commonly known as tangling melaleuca or umbrella bush is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the west and south-west of Western Australia. It is a dense, prickly shrub with heart-shaped leaves, stamens that are joined in unusually long claw-like bundles, and distinctive, warty fruits.

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

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

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

Melaleuca quadrifaria, commonly known as limestone honey-myrtle, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is native to the south of Western Australia. It is distinguished by the small size and arrangement of its leaves combined with its small spikes of white or cream flowers.

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

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

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

Melaleuca spathulata is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a well known garden shrub featuring dark green leaves against light-coloured foliage, many twisted branches and profuse heads of bright pink "pom pom" flower heads in spring or early summer.

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

Melaleuca glauca, commonly known as Albany bottlebrush is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a tall shrub with glaucous leaves and spikes of red flowers in spring.

<i>Beaufortia macrostemon</i> Species of flowering plant

Beaufortia macrostemon, commonly known as Darling Range beaufortia, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the southwest of Western Australia. It is a low shrub with multiple stems, hairy young leaves and three stamens in each stamen bundle.

References

  1. 1 2 "Melaleuca radula". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  2. 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. 304. ISBN   9781922137517.
  3. 1 2 Holliday, Ivan (2004). Melaleucas : a field and garden guide (2nd ed.). Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Reed New Holland Publishers. pp. 240–241. ISBN   1876334983.
  4. "Melaleuca radula". APNI. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 647.
  6. 1 2 "Melaleuca radula". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  7. Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 397. ISBN   0646402439.
  8. 1 2 Vivienne Hansen; John Horsfall (2016). Noongar Bush Medicine. Crawley: UWA Publishing. pp. 82–83. ISBN   978-1-74258-906-0. Wikidata   Q113330855.
  9. Lassak, E.V.; McCarthy, T. (2001). Australian medicinal plants. Sydney: New Holland. ISBN   1876334703.