Melaleuca parvistaminea facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Melaleuca parvistaminea
M. parvistaminea in Morton National Park
Scientific classification
Genus:	Melaleuca
Species:	parvistaminea

Melaleuca parvistaminea is a special plant from the Myrtaceae family, also known as the myrtle family. You can only find it growing naturally in New South Wales and Victoria, two states in Australia. This plant has tough, rough bark. Its flowers are a lovely cream color, and its leaves grow in groups of three, circling around the stems.

About the Melaleuca Plant

Melaleuca parvistaminea can grow as a bush or a small tree. It can reach up to about 10 meters (33 feet) tall.

Leaves and Stems

Its leaves are arranged in groups of three. They wrap around the stems like a spiral. Each leaf is quite small, about 4 to 12 millimeters (0.16 to 0.47 inches) long. They are very narrow, like a tiny oval, with a slightly rounded tip. If you look closely at the underside of the leaves, you might see tiny dots. These are oil glands!

Flowers and Fruit

The flowers of this plant grow in short clusters or spikes. You'll find them at the ends of branches. Sometimes, they also appear where the leaves meet the stem. Interestingly, the branches keep growing even after the flowers bloom.

Each flower cluster can have 15 to 50 individual flowers. The whole cluster is about 11 millimeters (0.43 inches) wide. The flowers are a light cream color. Each flower has five groups of stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen. Each group has 3 to 8 tiny stamens. The petals are small, about 1.5 to 2 millimeters (0.06 to 0.08 inches) long, and sometimes have a pink tint.

The main time for flowering is in spring. After the flowers, small, woody fruits appear. These fruits are called capsules. They are about 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) long and wide. They grow in clusters along the branches.

Naming the Melaleuca

This plant was first officially named Melaleuca parvistaminea in 1984. It was named by a botanist named Norman Byrnes.

What Does the Name Mean?

The second part of its name, parvistaminea, comes from two Latin words.

• Parvus means "little."
• Stamen means "thread."

So, parvistaminea means "little stamens." This name was chosen because the stamens of this plant are shorter compared to those of other plants in the Melaleuca family.

Where the Melaleuca Grows

You can find Melaleuca parvistaminea growing in a specific area of Australia. It grows from the Shoalhaven area in New South Wales. From there, it stretches south to the Seymour area in Victoria.

Its Home Environment

This plant likes to grow in forests, woodlands, and grasslands. It often forms thick groups of plants, especially along rivers and streams. It can grow in both sandy and clay soils.