Melaleuca carrii facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Melaleuca carrii
M. carrii leaves, buds, flowers and fruit
Scientific classification
Genus:	Melaleuca
Species:	carrii

Melaleuca carrii is a type of plant from the myrtle family. It grows only in the south-west part of Western Australia. This small shrub looks a lot like another plant called Melaleuca pentagona.

Both plants have "pom-pom" shaped pink flowers and pointy leaves. But Melaleuca carrii is usually smaller. Its leaves do not have a groove, and its flower petals stay on longer.

What Does This Plant Look Like?

Melaleuca carrii is a small shrub. It can grow up to 2 m (7 ft) tall. Its bark is rough and has grooves. The leaves grow one after another along the stem. They are usually 6.5–27 mm (0.3–1 in) long and 0.6–1.1 mm (0.02–0.04 in) wide. They are shaped like a cylinder and come to a sharp point. The leaves are usually smooth, meaning they have no hairs.

Flowers and Fruit

The flowers of Melaleuca carrii are pink to purple. They grow in round clusters at the ends of branches. These branches keep growing even after the flowers bloom. Sometimes, flowers also grow where the leaves meet the stem.

The flower clusters can be up to 18 mm (0.7 in) across. Each cluster has 5 to 12 groups of three flowers. The petals are small, about 0.7–1.5 mm (0.03–0.06 in) long. They fall off as the flower gets older.

Around each flower, there are five groups of stamens. Each group usually has 4 to 6 stamens. This plant mostly flowers in spring. But sometimes, it can start blooming as early as April. The fruit are hard, woody capsules. They are 2–3 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long and form round clusters on the stem.

How It Got Its Name

Melaleuca carrii was first officially described in 1999. This happened in a science journal called Australian Systematic Botany. The botanists who described it were Lyndley Craven and Brendan Lepschi. They found a sample of the plant east of Newdegate.

The second part of its name, carrii, honors a botanist named Denis John Carr. He worked at the Australian National University.

Where Does It Grow?

This melaleuca plant grows in different areas of Western Australia. You can find it between Eneabba, Three Springs, Jerramungup, and Esperance.

It lives in areas with heath, shrubs, and woodlands. It grows in sand, loam, and clay soils, often over granite. You might also find it near swampy places or along railway lines.

Is It Safe?

The Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife says that Melaleuca carrii is "not threatened." This means there are enough of these plants, and they are not in danger of disappearing.

Images for kids

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  M. carrii growing 90km west of Esperance.