Melaleuca papillosa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Melaleuca papillosa |
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| Melaleuca papillosa leaves and flowers | |
| Scientific classification | |
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Melaleuca
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| Species: |
papillosa
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The Melaleuca papillosa is a special kind of plant. It belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. This plant is only found in one place: the south-west part of Western Australia. When a plant or animal is found only in one specific area, we say it is endemic to that place.
This Melaleuca is one of the smallest plants in its group. You can spot it by its unique features. It has narrow leaves that often feel a bit hairy and bumpy. Its flowers are small and can be pink or purple, surrounded by soft, silky hairs. Unlike some other plants, its fruits are spread out along the stem, not grouped together.
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About the Plant: What it Looks Like
The Melaleuca papillosa is a shrub that can grow up to about 1.2 meters (or 4 feet) tall. Its leaves grow one after another along the stem. They are usually between 6.5 and 14.5 millimeters long (about 0.25 to 0.57 inches) and 1.0 to 1.7 millimeters wide (about 0.04 to 0.07 inches). The leaves are long and thin, or sometimes shaped like a very narrow egg. If you cut a leaf in half, it would look like a half-circle.
These leaves are often a bit curved. They are usually covered with short, soft hairs that lie flat. They also have tiny, pimply bumps on them, which is where the plant gets part of its name!
Flowers and Fruits
The flowers of Melaleuca papillosa are beautiful shades of pink or purple. They grow in small groups at the ends of the branches. Even after the flowers bloom, the branches keep growing! Sometimes, flowers also appear where the leaves meet the stem.
Each flower cluster can be up to 18 millimeters (about 0.7 inches) across. Inside, there are usually up to three smaller groups of flowers, with three flowers in each group. The petals are tiny, only about 1.0 to 1.2 millimeters long (about 0.04 to 0.05 inches). They fall off as the flower gets older.
The outside of the flower's base, called the floral cup, is usually hairy. Each flower has five groups of stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen. Each group has 4 to 7 stamens. This plant usually flowers in September and October. After the flowers, it produces woody, cup-shaped fruits called capsules. These capsules are about 3.8 to 5 millimeters long (about 0.15 to 0.2 inches) and are scattered along the stem.
Plant Names: How it Got its Name
The scientific name Melaleuca papillosa was officially given to this plant in 1999. It was described by a scientist named Lyndley Craven. He found a sample of the plant in the Fitzgerald River National Park.
The second part of its name, papillosa, comes from a Latin word, papilla. This word means "nipple." It refers to those small, pimply bumps you can see on the surface of the leaves.
Where it Lives: Home and Habitat
The Melaleuca papillosa plant grows in the Fitzgerald River area of Western Australia. This region is known as the Esperance Plains biogeographic region. It likes to grow in a type of shrubland called mallee heath. You can often find it in rocky clay loam, which is a type of soil that has a mix of clay, sand, and silt.
Looking After the Plant: Conservation
Good news! The Melaleuca papillosa is currently considered "not threatened." This means it's not in danger of disappearing. The Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife keeps an eye on plants like this to make sure they stay safe and healthy in the wild.
Images for kids
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Melaleuca papillosa in the Fitzgerald River National Park
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Melaleuca papillosa fruits
