Leptospermum blakelyi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leptospermum blakelyi |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Leptospermum
|
| Species: |
blakelyi
|
 |
|
| Occurrence data from AVH | |
The Leptospermum blakelyi is a special kind of shrub. It is found only in one small area. This plant grows on rocky clifftops near Lithgow in New South Wales, Australia. It has young stems that feel very soft and silky. Its leaves are shaped like eggs or ovals. The flowers are usually white or pink.
What it Looks Like
Leptospermum blakelyi is a shrub that spreads out. It usually grows to be about 1 meter (3 feet) tall. Its bark peels off in thin, stringy pieces. When the stems are young, they are covered in thick, soft hairs.
The leaves are wide and shaped like an egg or an oval. They are about 4 to 8 millimeters long. This is roughly the size of a small pea. The leaves are 2 to 5 millimeters wide and sit on a short leaf stalk.
The flowers grow alone or in small groups of up to four. They are usually found where a leaf meets the stem. Each flower is about 7 millimeters wide. This is a bit smaller than a pencil eraser. They grow on a stalk that is about 5 millimeters long.
The base of the flower is usually very hairy. It is about 2 millimeters long. The small, green leaves at the base of the flower are shaped like triangles. They are about 1 to 1.5 millimeters long. These stay on the plant even after the fruit starts to grow.
The flower petals are white or pink. They are about 2 to 2.5 millimeters long. The parts that hold the pollen are about 1 millimeter long. This plant flowers from November to December. Its fruit is a hard, woody seed pod. It is 2 to 3.5 millimeters wide. This seed pod grows on a stalk that is 6 to 8 millimeters long.
How it Got its Name
The Leptospermum blakelyi was officially described in 1989. This was done by a botanist named Joy Thompson. She wrote about it in a science journal called Telopea.
The second part of its name, blakelyi, honors William Blakely. He was a botanist who had written about this plant before. However, his description was never officially published.
Where it Grows
This special tea-tree only grows in one specific place. You can find it on rocky clifftops. It grows in a type of shrubland called heath. This area is near the town of Lithgow in New South Wales.
