Melaleuca lazaridis

Melaleuca lazaridis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the Blackdown Tableland National Park in Queensland. (Some Australian state herbaria use the name Callistemon lazaridis).[2] It is a shrub with dark green leaves and red flowers spikes tipped with yellow.

Melaleuca lazaridis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species:
M. lazaridis
Binomial name
Melaleuca lazaridis
Synonyms[1]

Callistemon lazaridis (Craven) Udovicic & R.D.Spencer

Description

Melaleuca lazaridis is a shrub growing to 4 m (10 ft) tall with hard, fibrous bark. Its leaves are arranged alternately and are 43–119 mm (2–5 in) long, 4.5–17 mm (0.2–0.7 in) wide, flat, mostly narrow egg-shaped with a mid-vein and 9 to 29 branching veins.[1]

The flowers are arranged in spikes on the ends of branches that continue to grow after flowering and also on the sides of the branches. The spikes are 35–60 mm (1–2 in) in diameter with 25 to 60 individual flowers. The petals are 4.5–6.5 mm (0.18–0.26 in) long and fall off as the flower ages. There are 48-59 stamens in each flower with red to deep pink filaments and yellow anthers. Flowering occurs from June to September and is followed by fruit that are woody capsules, 4.5–5.7 mm (0.18–0.22 in) long.[1]

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca lazaridis was first formally described in 2006 by Lyndley Craven in Novon.[3][4] The specific epithet (lazaridis) honours Michael Lazarides, an Australian botanical collector, agrostologist and co-collector of the type specimen.[1][5]

Callistemon lazaridis is regarded as a synonym of Melaleuca lazaridis by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.[6]

Distribution and habitat

This melaleuca only occurs in the Blackdown Tableland National Park, where it grows in a range of habitats but often near sandstone in open forest and along creeks.[1]

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. 219. ISBN 9781922137517.
  2. Udovicic, Frank; Spencer, Roger (2012). "New combinations in Callistemon (Myrtaceae)" (PDF). Muelleria. 30 (1): 23–25. Retrieved 11 June 2015.
  3. "Melaleuca lazaridis". APNI. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  4. Craven, Lyn A. (2006). "New Combinations in Melaleuca for Australian Species of Callistemon (Myrtaceae)". Novon. 16 (4): 445–446. doi:10.3417/1055-3177(2006)16[468:NCIMFA]2.0.CO;2. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  5. "Australian Plant Collectors and Illustrators". Council of Heads of Australian herbaria. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  6. "Callistemon lazaridis". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
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