Melaleuca montis-zamia facts for kids

Melaleuca montis-zamia is a unique plant. It belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. This plant is found only in the Springsure district of Queensland, Australia. Some plant experts in Australia also call it Callistemon montis-zamiae. It grows as a shrub and has beautiful red flowers that look like a bottlebrush.

About This Plant

Melaleuca montis-zamia is a shrub that can grow up to 4 meters (about 13 feet) tall. Its leaves are placed one after another along the stem. They are usually 37 to 92 millimeters (about 1.5 to 3.6 inches) long. The leaves are also 2.5 to 9 millimeters (about 0.1 to 0.4 inches) wide. They are flat and shaped like a narrow oval or egg. Each leaf has a main vein down the middle and many smaller veins on the sides.

Flowers and Fruit

The flowers of this plant are a shade of red. The tiny parts inside the flower, called stamens, have yellow tips. These flowers grow in groups called spikes. You can find these spikes at the ends of the branches. The branches keep growing even after the flowers bloom. Spikes also appear on the sides of the branches.

Each spike is about 30 to 45 millimeters (about 1.2 to 1.8 inches) wide. It holds between 10 and 40 individual flowers. The petals of each flower are small, about 3.1 to 4.7 millimeters (about 0.12 to 0.19 inches) long. They are a bit hairy on the outside. These petals fall off as the flower gets older. Each flower has many stamens, usually between 40 and 58.

Melaleuca montis-zamia flowers in August and September. After the flowers, the plant grows fruits. These fruits are hard, woody cases called capsules. They are about 3.4 to 4.9 millimeters (about 0.13 to 0.19 inches) long.

How It Got Its Name

The plant Melaleuca montis-zamia was first officially described in 2009. This was done by a scientist named Lyndley Craven. He wrote about it in a science journal called Novon. However, there was a small mistake in the spelling at first. It was later corrected to M. montis-zamia.

The second part of its name, montis-zamia, comes from Latin words. Mons means "a mountain." The word "Zamia" refers to Mt. Zamia. This mountain is part of the Minerva Hills National Park in Queensland. This is where the plant naturally grows.

Some plant experts, like those at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, consider Callistemon montis-zamiae to be the same plant as Melaleuca montis-zamia.

Where It Lives

Melaleuca montis-zamia is found in the Springsure area of Queensland, Australia. It likes to grow in bushy areas. You can often find it near watercourses, which are small streams or rivers.