Melaleuca ulicoides facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Melaleuca ulicoides |
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| M. ulicoides leaves and flowers | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Melaleuca |
| Species: |
M. ulicoides
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| Binomial name | |
| Melaleuca ulicoides Craven & Lepschi
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Melaleuca ulicoides is a special plant from the myrtle family, called Myrtaceae. It grows only in the southern part of Western Australia. This plant is a small, bushy shrub with many leaves. In spring, it produces small groups of white or cream-colored flowers. It is closely related to Melaleuca marginata. However, you can tell them apart by looking at the number and type of veins in their leaves.
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What Does Melaleuca Ulicoides Look Like?
Melaleuca ulicoides can grow up to 1 m (3 ft) tall. Its leaves are arranged one after another along the stem. They are narrow and pointed, like a tiny spear. The leaves are also shaped like a crescent moon when you look at them from the side.
These leaves are 3.9–12 mm (0.2–0.5 in) long and 1.1–2.7 mm (0.04–0.1 in) wide. When they are fully grown, they are smooth. Each leaf has a clear main vein on its underside. It also has four other veins that are harder to see. (The similar Melaleuca marginata has between 7 and 17 veins that are all hard to see.) The leaves also have many tiny oil glands.
The flowers are white to cream-colored. They grow in small groups of one to three flowers. Each group can be up to 20 mm (0.8 in) across. The petals are 3.5–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. They fall off as the flower gets older. Inside the flower, there are bundles of stamens, which are the parts that hold pollen. Each bundle has 18 to 28 stamens.
Flowers usually appear in October or November. After the flowers, the plant grows woody fruits. These fruits are like small capsules, 2.7–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long. They have small teeth around their edges.
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How Did Melaleuca Ulicoides Get Its Name?
The plant Melaleuca ulicoides was first officially described in 2010. This was done by a scientist named Lyndley Craven. He wrote about it in a science journal called Nuytsia. The plant was named after a sample collected in 1965 by Alex George.
The second part of its scientific name, ulicoides, means "like Ulex". Ulex is a type of gorse plant. This name was chosen because Melaleuca ulicoides looks similar to gorse plants, which belong to the pea family, Fabaceae.
Where Does Melaleuca Ulicoides Grow?
This type of melaleuca plant is found in the areas around Hopetoun and Ravensthorpe. These places are part of the Esperance Plains region in Western Australia.
It likes to grow in soil that has gravelly clay. This soil is often found in areas with "mallee" trees. Mallee is a type of bushland where many-stemmed eucalyptus trees grow.
Is Melaleuca Ulicoides Protected?
The government of Western Australia keeps track of plants and animals. The Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife says that Melaleuca ulicoides is "not threatened." This means it is not currently in danger of disappearing.
