Melaleuca sapientes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Melaleuca sapientes
Scientific classification
Genus:	Melaleuca
Species:	sapientes

Melaleuca sapientes is a cool plant that belongs to the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. You can only find it growing naturally in the southwest part of Western Australia. It's a small bush with soft, grey leaves and pretty pinkish flowers that bloom in spring or early summer. People love to grow this plant in their gardens because of its attractive, silvery leaves. Sometimes, it's mistakenly called Melaleuca holosericea, which is a similar but much rarer plant.

What Melaleuca sapientes Looks Like

Melaleuca sapientes is a bushy plant that spreads out, usually growing about 1 to 3 meters (3 to 10 feet) tall. It has bark that looks like white or grey paper. Its leaves are silvery and soft, arranged one after another along the stem. They are usually about 6 to 19.5 millimeters (0.2 to 0.8 inches) long and 0.8 to 2.1 millimeters (0.03 to 0.08 inches) wide. They are often shaped like a very narrow egg and feel silky.

Flowers and Fruit

The flowers of Melaleuca sapientes are pink or purple. They grow in round groups at the ends of branches. These branches keep growing even after the flowers have bloomed. The flower heads can be up to 20 millimeters (0.8 inches) across. Each head has two to six smaller groups of three flowers. The outside of the flower cup is covered in soft, silky hairs. The petals are small, about 1.2 to 2 millimeters (0.05 to 0.08 inches) long, and they fall off as the flower gets older.

Around the flower, you'll see five groups of stamens, which are the parts that make pollen. Each group has seven to nine stamens. This plant flowers between August and January. After the flowers, it grows woody capsules (fruits) that are 3 to 4.5 millimeters (0.1 to 0.2 inches) long. These fruits usually grow in small bunches along the stem.

M. sapientes growing in the Holt Nature Reserve near Salmon Gums.

How Melaleuca sapientes Got Its Name

Melaleuca sapientes was officially described in 1999 by a scientist named Lyndley Craven. He found a sample of the plant about 12 kilometers (7 miles) north of Salmon Gums.

The second part of the plant's name, sapientes, is a special way to honor Rob and Ann Smart. They are farmers near Jerramungup who helped with research about the Melaleuca group of plants. Sapientes comes from the Latin word sapiens, which means "wise." So, it's a clever way to include their last name, "Smart."

Where Melaleuca sapientes Lives

You can find this melaleuca plant in different areas of Western Australia. It grows in places like Jerramungup, Hyden, Salmon Gums, and Ponier Rock. It likes to grow on slopes in soil that is gravelly, sandy clay, or loam. These areas are part of what scientists call the Coolgardie, Esperance Plains, and Mallee biogeographic regions.

Protecting Melaleuca sapientes

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

Growing Melaleuca sapientes in Gardens

This type of melaleuca is often grown in gardens. It's sometimes mistakenly called Melaleuca holosericea. People like to plant it because of its beautiful, silvery leaves. It can grow well in many different kinds of soil.

Images for kids

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  M. sapientes leaves and fruit

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  M. sapientes bark