Melaleuca venusta facts for kids

The Melaleuca venusta is a type of shrub that belongs to the Myrtaceae family, which also includes plants like eucalyptus. This special plant is only found in one specific area: the west coast of Western Australia. It's known for its pretty, silvery leaves and flowers that start out pink or purple but then turn white. You can only find it in a small area north of the Murchison River.

What Does It Look Like?

Melaleuca venusta is a shrub that grows in an open, branching way. It can reach a height of about 1.5 m (5 ft), which is about as tall as a person.

Its leaves are arranged one after another along the stem. They are shaped like an oval with a small point at the end. Each leaf is about 18–45 mm (0.7–2 in) long and 6–11 mm (0.2–0.4 in) wide. Both sides of the leaves are covered in soft, silky hairs. This gives the plant its unique silvery-grey color.

The flowers grow in round clusters at the ends of the branches. Each cluster is about 32 mm (1 in) across. Inside each cluster, there are 6 to 13 smaller groups, and each of these groups has three flowers. The flowers have five bundles of stamens (the parts that make pollen), and each bundle has 7 to 11 stamens. These stamens give the flowers their pretty pink-purple color, which quickly fades to white.

You can usually see the flowers in October and November. After the flowers, the plant grows woody fruits called capsules. These capsules are small, about 2.5–3.5 mm (0.098–0.14 in), and grow in round clusters.

How It Got Its Name

The scientific name Melaleuca venusta was first officially written down in 1999. This was done by a scientist named Lyndley Craven in a scientific journal called Australian Systematic Botany.

The second part of its name, venusta, comes from a Latin word. It means "like Venus," "lovely," "beautiful," "elegant," or "graceful." This name perfectly describes the plant's pretty look!

Where Does It Grow?

Melaleuca venusta is a very special plant because it only grows in one small area. You can find it in the Kalbarri district of Western Australia. This area is part of the Geraldton Sandplains biogeographic zone. It grows north of the Murchison River.

This plant likes to grow in sandy soil that is found over limestone rock.

Protecting This Plant

Good news! The Melaleuca venusta is currently classified as "not threatened." This means that the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife believes there are enough of these plants in the wild, and they are not in danger of disappearing.

Can We Grow It?

People don't usually grow Melaleuca venusta in gardens or for other uses yet. However, because of its lovely purple flowers and attractive silvery leaves, experts think it would be a great plant to try growing. Especially in places with dry, Mediterranean-like weather, it could make a beautiful ornamental shrub.