Melaleuca thapsina

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Melaleuca thapsina
Melaleuca thapsina 01.jpg
Melaleuca thapsina leaves and flowers
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species:
M. thapsina
Binomial name
Melaleuca thapsina

Melaleuca thapsina is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a prickly shrub with fibrous or papery bark, yellow to cream coloured flowers and tightly packed cylinders of fruiting capsules.

Contents

Melaleuca thapsina growing in a swamp near Munglinup Melaleuca thapsina 02.jpg
Melaleuca thapsina growing in a swamp near Munglinup
Melaleuca thapsina fruit Melaleuca thapsina 03.jpg
Melaleuca thapsina fruit

Description

Melaleuca thapsina is a shrub sometimes growing to 4 m (10 ft) tall with papery or fibrous bark. Its leaves are arranged alternately and are 11–56 mm (0.4–2 in) long, 1.0–1.6 mm (0.04–0.06 in) wide, linear in shape and almost circular in cross section with the tip tapering to a sharp point. [2] [3]

The flowers are cream coloured to bright yellow and are arranged in heads on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering and sometimes also in the upper leaf axils. The heads are up to 18 mm (0.7 in) in diameter with 2 to 13 groups of flowers in threes. The petals are 1.0–2.2 mm (0.04–0.09 in) long and fall off as the flower matures. The outer surface of the floral cup (the hypanthium) is hairy and there are five bundles of stamens around the flower, each with 6 to 8 stamens. Flowering occurs mainly in spring and is followed by fruit which are woody capsules, 2.0–2.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long, packed tightly together in spherical or oblong clusters. [2] [3]

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca thapsina was first formally described in 1999 by Lyndley Craven in Australian Systematic Botany from a specimen collected 110 km (70 mi) north-east of Lake King on the track to Norseman. [1] [4] The specific epithet (thapsina) is derived from the Ancient Greek word thapsinos meaning "yellow" [5] referring to the colour of the flowers. [2]

Distribution and habitat

This melaleuca occurs in and between the Lake King, Norseman, Ravensthorpe and Esperance districts [2] in the Coolgardie, Esperance Plains and Mallee biogeographic regions. [6] It grows in a range of vegetation associations in sand and clay. [3]

Conservation

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

Related Research Articles

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

Melaleuca atroviridis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It was formerly included in the species Melaleuca uncinata but a review of that species lead to the identification of a number of new species. Like M. uncinata, this species is used for the production of brushwood fencing. It has fewer stamens in the flowers and somewhat smaller clusters of fruit but has the same needle-like leaves with a hooked end and spikes of creamy yellow flowers in early summer.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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<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 squamophloia</i> Species of flowering plant

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

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

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Melaleuca xerophila is a shrub or small tree in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is native to arid parts of South Australia and Western Australia. It is a large shrub with narrow leaves and heads of white or cream-coloured flowers in spring.

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

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

Melaleuca densa is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a bushy shrub with profuse cream, yellow or greenish flowers and overlapping leaves on the youngest shoots.

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

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<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.

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.

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

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

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References

  1. 1 2 "Melaleuca thapsina". APNI. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  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. 357. ISBN   9781922137517.
  3. 1 2 3 Holliday, Ivan (2004). Melaleucas : a field and garden guide (2nd ed.). Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Reed New Holland Publishers. pp. 284–285. ISBN   1876334983.
  4. Craven, L. A.; Lepschi, B. J. (1999). "Enumeration of the species and infraspecific taxa of Melaleuca (Myrtaceae) occurring in Australia and Tasmania". Australian Systematic Botany. 12 (6): 908. doi:10.1071/SB98019.
  5. Cleland, Liza; Davies, Glenys; Llewellyn-Jones, Lloyd (2007). Greek and Roman dress from A to Z (Digital print. ed.). London: Routledge. p. 215. ISBN   978-0415226615 . Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  6. 1 2 "Melaleuca thapsina". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.