Melaleuca biconvexa facts for kids

Melaleuca biconvexa is a special tree or shrub from the myrtle family. It grows along the coast of New South Wales in Australia. This plant has unique leaves that look a bit like wings. Its flowers are usually white or cream-colored and grow in small bunches at the ends of its branches. Sadly, Melaleuca biconvexa is considered a vulnerable species, which means it needs our help to survive.

Quick facts for kids Melaleuca biconvexa
Melaleuca biconvexa leaves and flowers
Conservation status
Vulnerable (EPBC Act)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Melaleuca
Species:	biconvexa

What it Looks Like

Melaleuca biconvexa can grow quite tall, usually between 3 to 10 meters (about 10 to 33 feet). Sometimes it can even reach 20 meters (about 66 feet)! It has bark that feels either stringy or like paper.

Its leaves are arranged in a cool way, with pairs opposite each other, but each pair is turned a quarter turn from the one below it. They are about 6.5 to 18 millimeters (0.25 to 0.7 inches) long and 2 to 4 millimeters (0.08 to 0.16 inches) wide. A special thing about these leaves is that the middle vein is in a groove. The sides of the leaf then curve upwards from this groove, making them look like little wings.

Flowers and Fruits

The flowers of Melaleuca biconvexa are cream to white. They grow in small groups of 2 to 10 flowers at the ends of the branches. These flower heads can be up to 17 millimeters (0.67 inches) across. Inside each flower, there are five groups of stamens, which are the parts that make pollen. Each group has 10 to 20 stamens.

This plant usually flowers for about 3 to 4 weeks between September and November. After the flowers, it grows woody fruits that look like small urns. These fruits are about 3 to 5 millimeters (0.12 to 0.2 inches) wide and 3 to 4 millimeters (0.12 to 0.16 inches) long. You can still see the dried sepals (parts of the flower that protect the bud) on the rim of these fruits.

How it Got its Name

For many years, this plant was mistakenly called Melaleuca pauciflora. But then, a botanist named Norman Byrnes studied it closely. In 1984, he officially described it and gave it the correct name, Melaleuca biconvexa. This was published in a science journal called Austrobaileya.

The second part of its name, biconvexa, comes from two Latin words. "Bi-" means "two," and "convexus" means "convex" or "curved outwards." This name describes the unique shape of its leaves, which curve upwards on both sides from the middle vein.

Where it Lives

You can find Melaleuca biconvexa in different spots along the coast of New South Wales, from Port Macquarie down to Jervis Bay. It likes to grow in wet places, often near streams or in low-lying areas. It's usually found in eucalypt forests, especially where the soil is sandy and has been carried by water. It also prefers gentle slopes and sheltered spots.

Protecting This Plant

Melaleuca biconvexa is a special plant, but it is considered a vulnerable species. This means its numbers are decreasing, and it could be at risk of disappearing if we don't protect it.

Even though it can grow back after a bushfire, it faces many other dangers. These include:

• Land clearing: When its habitat is removed for buildings or farms.
• Changes to water flow: When natural drainage patterns are altered, or swamps are filled in.
• Grazing animals: Farm animals like cows can eat or step on the young plants.
• Weeds: Other plants, like the Sagittaria platyphylla weed, can grow too much and take over its space.

Most of these plants grow on private land, which makes it harder for conservation groups to protect them. Because of these threats, Melaleuca biconvexa is listed as vulnerable under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. This law helps to protect plants and animals that are at risk.

Images for kids

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  M. biconvexa growing in Port Macquarie

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  M. biconvexa flower detail

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  M. biconvexa bark