Melaleuca uxorum

Melaleuca uxorum is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to the northern Herberton Range in far north Queensland. It is a newly described (2004) species similar to Melaleuca sylvana and Melaleuca monantha, also from far north Queensland.

Melaleuca uxorum
M. uxorum on Mount Emerald, Queensland
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species:
M. uxorum
Binomial name
Melaleuca uxorum
Craven, G.Holmes & Sankowsky

Description

Melaleuca uxorum is a shrub growing to a height of 1 m (3 ft). Its leaves are arranged in alternating pairs (decussate), 2–4.5 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long, 1.3–2.7 mm (0.05–0.1 in) wide, v-shaped in cross section and lacking a stalk.[1]

Head of flowers appear on the ends of the branches in November and December, each head composed of 4 to 12 groups of flowers, each group composed of three flowers. The heads are 18–25 mm (0.7–1 in) in diameter. The stamens are pure white, in five bundles around the flower with 6 to 12 stamens per bundle. The fruit are woody capsules 5–3.5 mm (0.2–0.1 in) long.[1]

Taxonomy and naming

This species was first formally described in 2004 by Lyndley Craven, Glenn Holmes and Garry Sankowsky in Muelleria from a specimen collected 1.2 km (0.7 mi) north west of Mt Emerald.[2][3] The specific epithet (uxorum) is from the Latin uxor meaning "wife",[4] "in collective honour of Kirsty, Jenny and Nada, the wives, respectively, of each of the authors of this name, for their companionship in the field and enthusiasm for plants generally".[1]

M.uxorum foliage and fruit
M.uxorum habitat

Distribution and habitat

Melaleuca uxorum occurs in the northern Herberton Range on pavements of acidic volcanic rock, in association with Eucalyptus lockyeri.[1]

Ecology

Response to fire

After fire, Melaleuca uxorum resprouts at the stem base and along stems from epicormic buds. The species forms small colonies which appear to have developed from both sexual and asexual reproduction.[5]

Conservation

Melaleuca uxorum is classified as Endangered[6] by the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992.

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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. 383. ISBN 9781922137517.
  2. "Melaleuca uxorum". APNI. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  3. Craven, Lyndley A. and G.Sankowsky; Holmes, Glenn; Sankowsky, Garry (2003). "Melaleuca uxorum (Myrtaceae) , a new species from north-eastern Australia". Muelleria. 18: 3–5.
  4. Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 743.
  5. Ford, Andrew J; Hardesty, Britta Denise (2012). "Species adaptation to both fire and climate change in tropical montane heath: Can Melaleuca uxorum (Myrtaceae) survive?". Pacific Conservation Biology. 18 (4): 319–324. doi:10.1071/PC120319. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  6. "Melaleuca uxorum". Queensland government: Department of Environment and Heritage Protection. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
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