Melaleuca zeteticorum

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Melaleuca zeteticorum
Melaleuca zeteticorum habit.jpg
Melaleuca zeteticorum near Meckering
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species:
M. zeteticorum
Binomial name
Melaleuca zeteticorum

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". [2]

Contents

flower buds Melaleuca zeteticorum buds.jpg
flower buds
fruit Melaleuca zeteticorum fruit.jpg
fruit

Description

Melaleuca zeteticorum is a shrub, growing to a height of 3 m (10 ft). The leaves are linear to narrowly oval in shape, 7–13 mm (0.3–0.5 in) long and 0.9–1.5 mm (0.04–0.06 in) wide. [2]

The flowers are arranged in heads 28 mm (1 in) in diameter near the ends of the branches in five to thirteen groups of three flowers. The flowers are bright yellow, pale lemon-yellow or whitish, turning pink with age. The stamens are arranged in bundles of five around the flower, with three to six stamens in each bundle. The base of the flower is 0.8–1.2 mm (0.03–0.05 in) long. Flowering occurs in October and November and is followed by fruit which are woody capsules closely packed together, appearing like a single fruit. [2]

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca zeteticorum was first formally described in 2004 by Lyndley Craven and Brendan Lepschi in Australian Systematic Botany . [3] [4] The specific epithet (zeteticorum) is from the Greek ζητητικός or zētētikós, meaning "disposed to search" [5] "in honour of these persons who for their enjoyment explore natural vegetation communities to become familiar with their constituent species". [2]

Distribution and habitat

Melaleuca zeteticorum occurs from the Dowerin-Cunderdin-Beacon district, eastwards to the Coolgardie-Norseman district, in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Great Victoria Desert and Murchison biogeographic regions. [2] [6]

Conservation

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

Uses

Essential oils

This leaf oil of this species is mostly monoterpenes at a yield of 1.5 - 2.5%. [2]

Horticulture

This plant may have potential for growing on semi-saline soils in subarid regions and is suitable as an ornamental shrub in such areas. [2]

Related Research Articles

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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.

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

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

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<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 sapientes</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 systena</i> Species of flowering plant

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

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Melaleuca villosisepala 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, heads of pink to mauve flowers that fade to white and is similar to Melaleuca wonganensis except that its heads of flowers are smaller and pinkish rather than deep purple.

<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 condylosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca condylosa is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is similar to Melaleuca brophyi except that its fruiting clusters are often knobbly and the flower heads and leaves are slightly larger.

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

Melaleuca marginata is a shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is distinguished by its prickly leaves and its flowers occurring in long sections of the branches. From 1922 to 2011 was known as Melaleuca coronicarpa.

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

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

Melaleuca lateriflora, commonly known as gorada, is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is usually an erect shrub with oval leaves and small clusters of white flowers mainly along the older branches.

Melaleuca ochroma is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is very similar to Melaleuca subfalcata, varying mainly in the length of its stamens and styles. Like M. subfalcata, it has pink to mauve flowers and leaves that are very hairy when young but become glabrous when mature.

<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 spectabilis</i> Species of flowering plant

Melaleuca spectabilis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It was formerly known as a subspecies of Melaleuca longistaminea. It is a low, prickly shrub with yellow or lime-green flowers in spring and early summer.

Melaleuca calcicola is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south of Western Australia. It was formerly known as a subspecies of Melaleuca apodocephala but was reassessed in 2010 and raised to species status. Its branches are corky, the leaves pointed although not prickly and the flowers are creamy white, tipped with yellow.

References

  1. "Melaleuca zeteticorum". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 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. 393. ISBN   9781922137517.
  3. "Melaleuca zeteticorum". APNI. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
  4. 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): 269–270. doi:10.1071/SB04001.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 819.
  6. 1 2 "Melaleuca zeteticorum". FloraBase . Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.