Melaleuca hemisticta, commonly known as Mount Wheeler bottlebrush,[2] is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to coastal areas of Queensland. (Some Australian state herbaria continue to use the name Callistemon hemistictus.)[3] It is a tall, bushy shrub with dark green leaves and red flowers spikes tipped with yellow.
| Mount Wheeler bottlebrush | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Melaleuca |
| Species: | M. hemisticta
|
| Binomial name | |
| Melaleuca hemisticta | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Callistemon hemistictus (S.T.Blake ex Craven) Udovicic & R.D.Spencer | |
Description
editMelaleuca hemisticta is a shrub growing to 6 m (20 ft) tall with grey, papery or fibrous bark. Its leaves are arranged alternately and are 42–102 mm (2–4 in) long, 6–28 mm (0.2–1 in) wide, flat, mostly narrow egg-shaped with a mid-vein and 15 to 30 branching veins.[4][5]
The flowers are arranged in spikes on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering and sometimes on the sides of the branches. The spikes are 30–45 mm (1–2 in) in diameter with 10 to 50 individual flowers. The petals are 3.4–5.4 mm (0.13–0.21 in) long and fall off as the flower ages. There are 35-53 stamens in each flower with red filaments and yellow anthers. Flowering occurs from March to September and is followed by fruit which are woody capsules, 4–5.2 mm (0.16–0.20 in) long.[4]
Taxonomy and naming
editMelaleuca hemisticta was first formally described in 2006 by Lyndley Craven in Novon.[6][7] The specific epithet (hemisticta) is from Greek meaning "half" and "spotted", referring to the oil glands in the leaves being only in the lower half of the leaf.[4]
Callistemon hemistictus is regarded as a synonym of Melaleuca hemisticta by the Plants of the World Online.[8]
Distribution and habitat
editMelaleuca hemisticta occurs in coastal Queensland in and between the Bowen and Bundaberg regions, on nearby islands and on Mount Stewart near Townsville, where it grows in a range of habitats but often on the sides of cliffs.[4][5]
References
edit- ^ a b "Melaleuca hemisticta". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
- ^ "Species profile—Callistemon sp. (Mt Wheeler)". Queensland Government, Department of Environment and Science. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
- ^ Udovicic, Frank; Spencer, Roger (2012). "New combinations in Callistemon (Myrtaceae)". Muelleria. 30 (1): 23–25. doi:10.5962/p.292240. S2CID 251007557. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
- ^ a b c d Brophy, Joseph J.; Craven, Lyndley A.; Doran, John C. (2013). Melaleucas : their botany, essential oils and uses. Canberra: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. pp. 192–193. ISBN 9781922137517.
- ^ a b "Melaleuca hemisticta". Native Plants Queensland, Townsville branch. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
- ^ "Melaleuca hemisticta". APNI. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
- ^ Craven, Lyn A. (2006). "New Combinations in Melaleuca for Australian Species of Callistemon (Myrtaceae)". Novon. 16 (4): 444–445. doi:10.3417/1055-3177(2006)16[468:NCIMFA]2.0.CO;2. S2CID 84723155. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
- ^ "Callistemon hemistictus". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 10 November 2023.