Leptospermum gregarium facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leptospermum gregarium |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Leptospermum
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| Species: |
gregarium
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| Occurrence data from AVH | |
Leptospermum gregarium, also known as a tea tree, is a type of shrub that grows only in eastern Australia. Its young branches are covered in fine hairs. The leaves are shaped like an egg or a spear, with the narrow part at the bottom. This plant has pretty white flowers that grow alone or in pairs on short side branches. When the fruit ripens, it stays on the plant. You can often find this shrub growing closely together in swamps or next to rocky creeks. It likes high places in northern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland.
What Does It Look Like?
Leptospermum gregarium is a shrub that usually grows up to about 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) tall. Older stems have bark that peels off in strips or small pieces. Younger stems are covered with soft, fine hairs.
Its leaves are generally shaped like a wide egg or a spear, with the narrower end at the base. They are mostly 5 to 10 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.4 inches) long and 2.5 to 4 millimeters (about 0.1 to 0.16 inches) wide. Sometimes they can be a bit longer.
The flowers are white and grow alone or in pairs on short side branches. They are usually less than 10 millimeters (about 0.4 inches) across. The base of the flower, called the floral cup, is hairy and about 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) long. It sits on a very short stalk, known as a pedicel.
The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the bud, are triangular or round. They are about 1.5 to 2 millimeters (0.06 to 0.08 inches) long. The petals, the colorful parts of the flower, are about 3 to 4 millimeters (0.12 to 0.16 inches) long. The stamens, which produce pollen, are 1.5 to 2 millimeters long.
This plant mainly flowers from November to December. Its fruit is a capsule, which is a dry seed pod. These capsules are usually 5 to 6 millimeters (0.2 to 0.24 inches) wide and stay on the plant even after they are ripe.
Its Scientific Name
The plant Leptospermum gregarium was first officially described in 1989. This description was made by a scientist named Joy Thompson. She published her findings in a science journal called Telopea. The plant material she studied was collected near Ebor in New South Wales in 1981.
The second part of its scientific name, gregarium, is a Latin word. It means "tending to flock together" or "growing in dense groups." This name was chosen because this plant often grows very closely together in large stands.
Where Does It Grow?
Leptospermum gregarium likes to grow in swamps and next to rocky creeks. It is found in high-altitude areas. You can find it in New South Wales, north of Nundle. It also grows in the Granite Belt region of south-east Queensland.
