Melaleuca teretifolia | |
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Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Myrtaceae |
Genus: | Melaleuca |
Species: | M. teretifolia |
Binomial name | |
Melaleuca teretifolia | |
Synonyms [1] | |
Melaleuca teretifolia is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, which is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a shrub with long, thin leaves and clusters of usually white flowers along considerable lengths of the branches in late spring and summer.
Melaleuca teretifolia is a shrub which grows to a height of 5 m (20 ft) with light coloured papery bark and glabrous foliage. Its leaves are arranged alternately, 30–90 mm (1–4 in) long and 0.6–1.2 mm (0.02–0.05 in) wide. They are linear, almost circular in cross section, needle-like and with a sharp point on the end. [2]
The flowers are usually white but sometimes creamy white or a shade of pink. They are arranged in heads of 4 to 15 flowers up to 25 mm (1 in) in diameter arranged along the sides of the branches. The stamens are arranged in five bundles around the flowers and each bundle usually contains 6 to 8 stamens but sometimes up to 12. Flowering occurs between October and January and is followed by fruit which are woody capsules 2.5–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. [2] [3] [4]
Melaleuca teretifolia was first formally described in 1837 by Stephan Endlicher in Enumaratio plantarum . [5] [6] The specific epithet (teretifolia) is from derived from the Latin words teres meaning "rounded" [7] : 249 and folium meaning "a leaf" [7] : 123 referring to the shape of the leaves as being almost circular in cross-section. [2]
Melaleuca teretifolia occurs in and between the Watheroo and Capel districts [2] in the Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions. [9] It grows in sand and clay in swamps and in low areas that fill with water in wet weather. [10]
This species is classified as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife. [9]
A cultivar of this species known as "Georgina Molloy" is available in specialist nurseries. It has red flowers. Melaleucas can be grown from seed but Georgina Molloy must be grown from cuttings to keep its particular features. It is suited to temperate climates and requires well-drained soil. [3] [4] (Georgina Molloy was an early settler and botanical collector.)
Chorilaena quercifolia, commonly known as karri oak or chorilaena, is a species of bushy shrub that is endemic to the karri forests of south-west Western Australia. It is the sole species in the genus Chorilaena. It has papery, broadly egg-shaped leaves with lobed edges and variously-coloured flowers arranged in umbels of five, the sepals and petals hairy on the outside and the stamens protruding beyond the petals.
Melaleuca huegelii, commonly known as chenille honey-myrtle, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west coastal areas of Western Australia. It has small, almost scale-like leaves and flower spikes sometimes more than 100 millimetres (4 in) long on the ends many of its branches.
Melaleuca trichophylla is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Its pink or purple flowers appear from August to December in its native range. It has long been cultivated.
Eremophila deserti is a shrub which is endemic to Australia. Common names for this species include turkey bush, dogwood, poison bushEllangowan poison bush, pencil bush and carrot bush. It is common and widespread in all mainland states, although not the Northern Territory. Some forms are poisonous to stock.
Melaleuca elliptica, commonly known as the granite bottlebrush is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. The Noongar name for the plant is gnow. It is commonly grown in gardens because of its neat foliage and showy, bright red flower spikes although it needs to be pruned regularly to avoid becoming woody and untidy-looking. In nature, it usually grows in the shrub layer in mallee woodland or heath.
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 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.
Calothamnus sanguineus, commonly known as silky-leaved blood flower, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. The Noongar peoples know the plant as Boolgalla. It is an erect to spreading shrub with short, cylindrical leaves and red or white flowers with an unusual arrangement of stamens, often flowering in autumn, winter or spring. It was the first of its genus to be formally described.
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.
Melaleuca filifolia, commonly called wiry honey-myrtle, is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a woody, twiggy shrub with needle-shaped leaves, greenish flower buds, pink "pom-pom" flower heads and spherical clusters of fruits.
Melaleuca hamata is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It grows to a large, dense shrub with broombrush foliage and profuse pale yellow flowers in late spring.
Melaleuca sheathiana, commonly known as boree is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to central and south-western Western Australia. It is similar to Melaleuca pauperiflora except that it has small, spoon-shaped leaves.
Melaleuca striata is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It has distinctive leaves and heads of pink to mauve flowers, usually in late summer.
Melaleuca thymoides is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is usually a low shrub. The ends of the branches usually end in a sharp spine and the leaves also have a sharp point. Bright yellow flowers appear on the ends of the branches in spring or early summer.
Verticordia huegelii var. huegelii, commonly known as variegated featherflower, is a flowering plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an upright, slender or bushy shrub, with creamish-white flowers turning pink or reddish maroon as they age, giving the plant a variegated appearance. It is similar to Verticordia huegelii var. decumbens but is more upright than that variety and lacks a lignotuber.
Boronia cymosa, commonly known as granite boronia, is a plant in the citrus family Rutaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with linear, more or less cylindrical leaves and groups of relatively small, pink four-petalled flowers arranged on branched flowering stems.
Philotheca brevifolia is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to a small area in south-western New South Wales. It is a spreading shrub with fleshy, sessile, cylindrical leaves and white to pink flowers arranged singly or in small groups on the ends of branchlets.
Philotheca linearis, commonly known as the rock wallaby shrub or narrow-leaf wax-flower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to an inland areas of southern Australia. It is a shrub with glandular-warty branchlets and leaves, club-shaped to cylindrical leaves and white flowers arranged singly in leaf axils.
Hibbertia huegelii is a species of flowering plant in the family Dilleniaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, spreading or prostrate shrub with hairy branchlets, linear leaves and yellow flowers arranged singly in leaf axils on the ends of shoots, with fifteen to twenty-five stamens in bundles around the four or five carpels.
Lasiopetalum cordifolium, is a species of flowering plant in the family Malvaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with hairy stems, heart-shaped leaves and pink, cream-coloured or white flowers.