Melaleuca sheathiana

Melaleuca sheathiana, commonly known as boree is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to central and south-western Western Australia. It is similar to Melaleuca pauperiflora except that it has small, spoon-shaped leaves.

Boree
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species:
M. sheathiana
Binomial name
Melaleuca sheathiana

Description

Melaleuca sheathiana is a shrub or small tree growing to a height of 7 m (20 ft) with papery bark. The leaves are arranged alternately, 2–3.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long, 0.9–1.3 mm (0.04–0.05 in) wide, narrow spoon shaped, almost circular in cross section and with a rounded or blunt point on the end.[2]

The flowers are cream or white, arranged in heads or short spikes with 4 to 11 individual flowers, the spike up to 15 mm (0.6 in) in diameter. The stamens are arranged in five bundles around the flower and there are 9 to 14 stamens per bundle. The main flowering season is spring and is followed by fruit which are woody capsules 2.8–4.1 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long in clusters along the stem.[2][3]

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca sheathiana was first formally described in 1902 by William Fitzgerald in "Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Western Australia".[1] The specific epithet (sheathiana) is to honour Jeremiah Sheath, an early Superintendent of King's Park in Perth.[2] The common name, boree or booree, is taken from the Noongar name for the plant.[4]

Distribution and habitat

Boree occurs in and between the Lake Barlee, Lake Cronin and Rawlinna districts[2] in the Coolgardie, Mallee and Murchison biogeographic regions[5] where it grows in sandy, clayey or loamy soils on stony hillsides and dunes.[6]

Conservation

Melaleuca sheathiana is classified as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife.[5]

Uses

Horticulture

Boree is a useful shrub for hedges and windbreaks in temperate climates. It grows well in most well-drained soils and it is frost hardy.[3]

Essential oils

The leaves of this species contain a number of essential oils, the most abundant being alpha-Pinene and 1,8-cineole (Eucalyptol).[2]

References
  1. "Melaleuca sheathiana". APNI. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  2. 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. 324. ISBN 9781922137517.
  3. Holliday, Ivan (2004). Melaleucas : a field and garden guide (2nd ed.). Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Reed New Holland Publishers. p. 210. ISBN 1876334983.
  4. "Noongar names for plants". kippleonline.net. Archived from the original on 20 November 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  5. "Melaleuca sheathiana". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
  6. Paczkowska, Grazyna; Chapman, Alex R. (2000). The Western Australian flora : a descriptive catalogue. Perth: Wildflower Society of Western Australia. p. 397. ISBN 0646402439.
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