Melaleuca squamophloia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Melaleuca squamophloia | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Melaleuca |
| Species: | M. squamophloia |
| Binomial name | |
| Melaleuca squamophloia | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
|
Melaleuca styphelioides var. squamophloia Byrnes | |
Melaleuca squamophloia is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the black soil plains of south eastern Queensland in Australia. Like its close relative Melaleuca styphelioides, it is a small, erect tree with prickly leaves and spikes of cream or white flowers but its bark is hard rather than papery and the leaves have fewer veins than that species.
Melaleuca squamophloia is a shrub or small tree growing to 7 m (20 ft) high, with hard, scaly or fibrous bark. Its leaves are arranged alternately, 4–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) long, 1.6–3.5 mm (0.06–0.1 in) wide, narrow egg-shaped with the end tapering to a sharp, prickly point and with 3 to 15 veins.[2][3]
The flowers are white or cream-coloured and are arranged in spikes on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering and on the sides of the branches. Each spike contains 5 to 16 individual flowers and is up to 20 mm (0.8 in) in diameter. The petals are 1.5–1.8 mm (0.06–0.07 in) long and fall off as the flower opens or soon after. There are five bundles of stamens around the flower, each with 15 to 20 stamens. Flowering occurs in spring and from April to June, and is followed by fruit which are woody, almost spherical capsules, 2.5–3.5 mm (0.098–0.14 in) long.[2][3]