Melaleuca cheelii facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Melaleuca cheelii |
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| Melaleuca cheelii foliage and fruit | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Melaleuca
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| Species: |
cheelii
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Melaleuca cheelii is a plant that belongs to the Myrtaceae family, also known as the myrtle family. This plant is found only in the Wide Bay–Burnett area of Queensland, Australia. It can grow as a shrub or a tree, reaching up to 10 meters (about 33 feet) tall. It has white flowers and bark that feels like paper. The government of Queensland has listed Melaleuca cheelii as "near threatened," meaning it could become endangered in the future.
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What Does Melaleuca cheelii Look Like?
Melaleuca cheelii trees usually grow to be about 8 to 10 meters (26 to 33 feet) tall. Their leaves are arranged in a special way: each pair of leaves grows opposite each other, but the next pair is turned at a right angle. This is called a decussate arrangement. Each leaf is shaped like an oval, about 5 to 12.5 millimeters (0.2 to 0.5 inches) long and 2 to 6 millimeters (0.08 to 0.24 inches) wide.
The flowers of Melaleuca cheelii are white or cream-colored. They grow in spikes at the ends of the branches. These branches keep growing even after the flowers have bloomed. Each flower spike can be up to 40 millimeters (1.6 inches) long and 20 millimeters (0.8 inches) wide. Each spike holds between 2 and 10 flowers. The petals are small, about 2 to 2.7 millimeters (0.08 to 0.11 inches) long, and they fall off after the flower opens. The flowers have many stamens (the parts that produce pollen) arranged in 5 groups. Each group has 8 to 18 stamens. The main time for flowering is in September. After the flowers fade, woody, cup-shaped or barrel-shaped fruits grow in loose groups. Each fruit is about 4 to 4.5 millimeters (0.16 to 0.18 inches) long.
How Was Melaleuca cheelii Named?
The plant Melaleuca cheelii was first officially described in 1932 by a botanist named Cyril Tenison White. He wrote about it in a scientific paper called Proceedings of the Royal Society of Queensland. White himself collected the plant samples near the Burrum River in Queensland. He noted that it was common in sandy, wet areas called "wallum country." The second part of the plant's name, cheelii, honors Edwin Cheel (1872–1951). He was another botanist who worked at the state herbarium in Sydney.
Where Does Melaleuca cheelii Grow?
This type of melaleuca plant is found in the wallum country, which is a specific type of sandy, wet habitat. It grows near Bundaberg in Queensland. You can find it in places like Burrum Coast National Park and the Meadowvale Nature Park in Bundaberg.
Is Melaleuca cheelii in Danger?
The government of Queensland has listed Melaleuca cheelii as "near threatened." This means that while it's not currently endangered, its population could be at risk in the future if steps aren't taken to protect it. This classification was made under the Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Amendment Regulation in 2010.
Can Melaleuca cheelii Be Grown in Gardens?
Melaleuca cheelii is not very well known in gardening, but it can be grown in certain places. For example, there is a plant at the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra that is over 20 years old. Other plants have also grown successfully in cities like Adelaide and Brisbane.
Images for kids
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Foliage and fruit
