Melaleuca uxorum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Melaleuca uxorum |
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| M. uxorum on Mount Emerald, Queensland | |
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Melaleuca
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| Species: |
uxorum
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Melaleuca uxorum is a special kind of plant from the Myrtaceae family, which includes plants like eucalyptus and tea trees. This plant is only found in one specific area: the northern Herberton Range in Far North Queensland, Australia. It was officially discovered and named in 2004. It looks quite similar to two other plants from the same region, Melaleuca sylvana and Melaleuca monantha.
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What Does Melaleuca uxorum Look Like?
Melaleuca uxorum is a shrub, which means it's a woody plant smaller than a tree. It usually grows to about 1 m (3 ft) tall. Its leaves are arranged in a cool way: they grow in opposite pairs, with each pair turned at a right angle to the one below it. This is called decussate arrangement. The leaves are small, about 2–4.5 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long and 1.3–2.7 mm (0.05–0.1 in) wide. They are V-shaped when you look at them from the side and don't have a stalk.
Flowers and Fruit
This plant produces its flowers in November and December. The flowers grow in clusters at the ends of the branches. Each cluster has 4 to 12 smaller groups of flowers, and each of these smaller groups has three individual flowers. The whole flower cluster can be about 18–25 mm (0.7–1 in) across. The parts of the flower that produce pollen, called stamens, are pure white. They are grouped into five bundles around the center of the flower, with 6 to 12 stamens in each bundle. After the flowers bloom, the plant produces woody fruits. These fruits are like small capsules, about 5–3.5 mm (0.2–0.1 in) long.
How Melaleuca uxorum Got Its Name
Scientists officially described and named Melaleuca uxorum in 2004. The botanists who discovered it were Lyndley Craven, Glenn Holmes, and Garry Sankowsky. They found a sample of the plant about 1.2 km (0.7 mi) north-west of Mount Emerald.
The second part of its scientific name, uxorum, comes from the Latin word uxor, which means "wife". The scientists chose this name to honor their wives: Kirsty, Jenny, and Nada. They wanted to thank them for being great companions during their trips to the field and for their general love of plants. It's a nice way to remember the people who support scientific discoveries!
Where Melaleuca uxorum Lives
Melaleuca uxorum grows in a specific area within the northern Herberton Range in Queensland. It likes to grow on rocky ground made of acidic volcanic rock. You can often find it growing near another type of tree called Eucalyptus lockyeri. This tells us that it prefers a very particular kind of soil and environment.
Protecting Melaleuca uxorum
Because Melaleuca uxorum is only found in a small area and has specific needs, it is considered an Endangered species. This classification is given by the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992. Being endangered means that there are not many of these plants left, and they are at risk of disappearing forever. Protecting their habitat and making sure they can grow safely is very important for their survival.
