Melaleuca sphaerodendra is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, and is endemic to Grande Terre, the main island of New Caledonia. It is one of only a few members of its genus to occur outside Australia and was previously known as Callistemon gnidioides Guillaumin.
Melaleuca sphaerodendra is shrub or small tree growing to a height of 10 m (30 ft) with its branchlets densely covered with hairs. The leaves are 7–19 mm (0.3–0.7 in) long, 2–5 mm (0.08–0.2 in) wide, narrow oval to egg-shaped, rounded at the end and have 3 to 5 parallel veins. When young, the leaves are covered with hairs similar to those on the branchlets but become glabrous as they mature.[2]
The flowers are white or cream and occur on the ends of the branches which continue to grow after flowering. The petals are 1–2.2 mm (0.04–0.09 in) long and the stamens are arranged in five bundles around the flower, with 2 or 3 stamens per bundle. Flowering occurs mainly from July and September and is followed by the fruit which are woody capsules 2.2 mm (0.09 in) long.[2][3]
Taxonomy and naming
Callistemon gnidioides was first formally described in 1934 by André Guillaumin,[4] then transferred to the genus Melaleuca as Melaleuca sphaerodendra in 1998 by Lyndley Craven and John Dawson in the journal Adansonia.[5] The specific epithet (sphaerodendra) is from the Ancient Greekσφαῖρα (sphaîra) meaning “ball"[6]: 120 and δένδρον (déndron) meaning “tree”[6]: 813 referring to the roughly spherical crown of the tree.[2]
There are two varieties of this species:
Melaleuca sphaerodendra var. sphaerodendra has linear to oval leaves which are 2–3 millimetres (0.08–0.1 in) wide;
Melaleuca sphaerodendra var. microphylla has elliptic or egg-shaped leaves which are 3.5–5 millimetres (0.1–0.2 in) wide.
Distribution and habitat
Melaleuca sphaerodendra is found on Grande Terre:
var. sphaerodendra occurs on the southern part of the island, growing in open maquis on volcanic soils;
var. microphylla occurs on the central-west and north-west parts of Grande Terre, growing in maquis on steep scree slopes of volcanic rocks.
References
^ ab"Melaleuca sphaerodendra". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
^ abcBrophy, Joseph J.; Craven, Lyndley A.; Doran, John C. (2013). Melaleucas : their botany, essential oils and uses. Canberra: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. p. 333. ISBN9781922137517.
^"Melaleuca sphaerodendra (Espece)". Endemia Association. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
^"Callistemon gnidioides". APNI. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
^"Melaleuca sphaerodendra". APNI. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
^ abBrown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.
July 02, 2023
melaleuca, sphaerodendra, plant, myrtle, family, myrtaceae, endemic, grande, terre, main, island, caledonia, only, members, genus, occur, outside, australia, previously, known, callistemon, gnidioides, guillaumin, scientific, classificationkingdom, plantaeclad. Melaleuca sphaerodendra is a plant in the myrtle family Myrtaceae and is endemic to Grande Terre the main island of New Caledonia It is one of only a few members of its genus to occur outside Australia and was previously known as Callistemon gnidioides Guillaumin Melaleuca sphaerodendraScientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsClade RosidsOrder MyrtalesFamily MyrtaceaeGenus MelaleucaSpecies M sphaerodendraBinomial nameMelaleuca sphaerodendraCraven amp J W Dawson 1 Synonyms 1 Callistemon gnidioides Guillaumin Contents 1 Description 2 Taxonomy and naming 3 Distribution and habitat 4 ReferencesDescription EditMelaleuca sphaerodendra is shrub or small tree growing to a height of 10 m 30 ft with its branchlets densely covered with hairs The leaves are 7 19 mm 0 3 0 7 in long 2 5 mm 0 08 0 2 in wide narrow oval to egg shaped rounded at the end and have 3 to 5 parallel veins When young the leaves are covered with hairs similar to those on the branchlets but become glabrous as they mature 2 The flowers are white or cream and occur on the ends of the branches which continue to grow after flowering The petals are 1 2 2 mm 0 04 0 09 in long and the stamens are arranged in five bundles around the flower with 2 or 3 stamens per bundle Flowering occurs mainly from July and September and is followed by the fruit which are woody capsules 2 2 mm 0 09 in long 2 3 Taxonomy and naming EditCallistemon gnidioides was first formally described in 1934 by Andre Guillaumin 4 then transferred to the genus Melaleuca as Melaleuca sphaerodendra in 1998 by Lyndley Craven and John Dawson in the journal Adansonia 5 The specific epithet sphaerodendra is from the Ancient Greek sfaῖra sphaira meaning ball 6 120 and dendron dendron meaning tree 6 813 referring to the roughly spherical crown of the tree 2 There are two varieties of this species Melaleuca sphaerodendra var sphaerodendra has linear to oval leaves which are 2 3 millimetres 0 08 0 1 in wide Melaleuca sphaerodendra var microphylla has elliptic or egg shaped leaves which are 3 5 5 millimetres 0 1 0 2 in wide Distribution and habitat EditMelaleuca sphaerodendra is found on Grande Terre var sphaerodendra occurs on the southern part of the island growing in open maquis on volcanic soils var microphylla occurs on the central west and north west parts of Grande Terre growing in maquis on steep scree slopes of volcanic rocks References Edit a b Melaleuca sphaerodendra Plants of the World Online Retrieved 8 September 2021 a b c 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 333 ISBN 9781922137517 Melaleuca sphaerodendra Espece Endemia Association Retrieved 23 April 2015 Callistemon gnidioides APNI Retrieved 25 January 2018 Melaleuca sphaerodendra APNI Retrieved 23 April 2015 a b Brown Roland Wilbur 1956 The Composition of Scientific Words Washington D C Smithsonian Institution Press Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Melaleuca sphaerodendra amp oldid 1139854727, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
