Melaleuca parvistaminea

Melaleuca parvistaminea is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to the states of New South Wales and Victoria in Australia. It has hard, rough bark, cream coloured flowers and leaves in whorls of three around the stems.

Melaleuca parvistaminea
M. parvistaminea in Morton National Park
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species:
M. parvistaminea
Binomial name
Melaleuca parvistaminea

Description

Melaleuca parvistaminea is a shrub or small tree growing to about 10 m (30 ft) tall. Its leaves are arranged in whorls of three around the stems and are 4–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) long and 0.5–1.0 mm (0.02–0.04 in) wide, linear or a very narrow oval shape with a blunt point on the end. Oil glands are distinct on the lower surface.[1][2]

The flowers are arranged in a short spike or head at the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering and sometimes in the upper leaf axils. The spikes contain 15 to 50 individual flowers and are up to 11 mm (0.4 in) in diameter. The flowers are a light cream colour and each is surrounded by five bundles of stamens, containing 3 to 8 stamens. The petals are 1.5–2 mm (0.06–0.08 in) long and often tinged with pink. Spring is the main flowering season and the flowers are followed by fruit which are woody capsules about 3 mm (0.1 in) long and wide, in clusters along the branches.[1][2][3]

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca parvistaminea was first formally described in 1984 by Norman Byrnes in Austrobaileya.[4] The specific epithet (parvistaminea) is derived from the Latin words parvus meaning "little"[5]:489 and stamen meaning "thread"[5]:798 referring to the stamens which are short compared to those of other melaleucas.[1]

Distribution and habitat

Melaleuca parvistaminea occurs from the Shoalhaven district in New South Wales south to the Seymour district in Victoria. It grows in forest, woodland and grassland, often occurring in thickets, usually along watercourses, in sandy or clayey soil.[1][3]

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References
  1. 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. 272. ISBN 9781922137517.
  2. "Melaleuca parvistaminea". Royal botanic garden Sydney:plantnet. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  3. Holliday, Ivan (2004). Melaleucas : a field and garden guide (2nd ed.). Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Reed New Holland Publishers. p. 104. ISBN 1876334983.
  4. "Melaleuca parvistaminea". APNI. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  5. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
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