Melaleuca acutifolia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Melaleuca acutifolia |
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| M. acutifolia in the ANBG. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Melaleuca
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| Species: |
acutifolia
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Melaleuca acutifolia is a type of plant that belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. This plant is special because it only grows naturally in the south-west part of Western Australia. It has small, pointed, oval-shaped leaves. In the summer, you can see beautiful white flowers growing in clusters on this plant.
Scientists first described this plant in 1867. For a long time, it was thought to be just a type of another plant called Melaleuca lateriflora. But in 2010, after more study, it was officially recognized as its own unique species.
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Contents
What Melaleuca acutifolia Looks Like
Melaleuca acutifolia can grow as a shrub or a small tree. It can reach a height of about 6 metres (20 feet). Its bark is grey and feels like paper.
The leaves grow one after another along the stem. They are usually between 7 and 25 millimetres (0.3 to 1 inch) long. They are also 2 to 7.5 millimetres (0.08 to 0.3 inches) wide. The leaves are oval-shaped and get narrower to a point at the end. Sometimes, they have a few fine hairs on their surface.
The flowers are white and grow in round clusters. These clusters appear on the branches that grew the year before. Each cluster can have up to 15 flowers and be about 25 millimetres (1 inch) across. Inside each flower, there are five groups of stamens (the parts that make pollen). Each group has 10 to 22 stamens.
Melaleuca acutifolia flowers during the summer months. After the flowers, small woody capsules grow. These capsules are the fruit of the plant and are about 3 to 5 millimetres (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long.
How Melaleuca acutifolia Got Its Name
The plant was first described in 1867 by a scientist named George Bentham. He called it Melaleuca lateriflora var. acutifolia. The "var." means it was considered a variety of another plant.
Later, in 2010, two other scientists, Lyndley Craven and Brendan Lepschi, decided it was different enough to be its own species. So, they gave it the name Melaleuca acutifolia.
The second part of its name, acutifolia, comes from two Latin words. Acutus means "pointed," and folium means "leaf." This name perfectly describes its pointed leaves!
Where Melaleuca acutifolia Grows
This plant is found in several areas of Western Australia. You can see it from the Kalbarri and Yalgoo regions in the north, all the way south to the Waroona area.
It grows in different types of natural areas. These include woodlands and dense heathlands. It prefers to grow in clay loam and sandy clay soils. Sometimes, you can even find it growing near the edges of saltpans.
Conservation Status
The good news is that Melaleuca acutifolia is currently considered "not threatened." This means there are enough of these plants in the wild. The Government of Western Australia's Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps track of its status to make sure it stays safe.
