Silver tea-tree facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Silver tea-tree |
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| Black Mountain, Australian Capital Territory, Australia | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Leptospermum
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| Species: |
multicaule
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The Silver Tea-Tree (scientific name: Leptospermum multicaule) is a type of shrub. It's also known as the silver tea-tree. This plant is special because it only grows naturally in south-eastern Australia. This means it's endemic to that area.
It has long, thin leaves that can also be shaped like a narrow oval or egg. Its pretty flowers are usually white or pink. These flowers often grow one by one on short side branches. After the seeds are ready, the fruit quickly falls from the plant.
What Does the Silver Tea-Tree Look Like?
The Silver Tea-Tree is a shrub that usually grows up to 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) tall. It has smooth bark that peels off in long, stringy strips from its smaller branches.
Its leaves are quite thin and can be shaped like a line, a narrow oval, or a narrow egg. The narrower part of the leaf is at its base. These leaves are usually 2 to 20 millimeters (about 0.08 to 0.8 inches) long. They are also 1 to 3 millimeters (about 0.04 to 0.12 inches) wide. Each leaf tapers down to a very short, wide stalk called a petiole.
The flowers are usually white or pink and are 6 to 10 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.4 inches) wide. They often grow one by one on short side shoots. Sometimes, you might see them in pairs. At the bottom of the flower bud, there are broad, reddish-brown leaf-like parts called bracts. These bracts fall off as the flower opens.
The base of the flower, called the floral cup, is covered with flat, silky hairs. It's about 2.5 millimeters (about 0.1 inches) long. The tiny stalk that holds the flower, called a pedicel, is less than 1 millimeter long. The small, triangular leaf-like parts that protect the bud, known as sepals, are 1 to 1.5 millimeters long. The petals, which are the colorful parts of the flower, are about 2.5 millimeters long. The stamens, which produce pollen, are less than 1.5 millimeters long.
The Silver Tea-Tree mainly flowers from October to November. Its fruit is a round, half-sphere shaped capsule. This capsule is 3 to 3.5 millimeters (about 0.12 to 0.14 inches) wide. It still has the remains of the sepals attached. The fruit falls from the plant soon after the seeds are released.
How Did It Get Its Name?
The Silver Tea-Tree, or Leptospermum multicaule, was first officially described in 1825. This was done by a botanist named Allan Cunningham. He wrote about it in a chapter called On the Botany of the Blue Mountains. This chapter was part of a book by Barron Field called Geographical Memoirs on New South Wales. The first samples of the plant used for its description were collected near Bathurst.
Where Does the Silver Tea-Tree Grow?
The Silver Tea-Tree likes to grow in woodlands and on dry hillsides. You can find it in New South Wales, starting from the Bathurst area. It also grows through the Australian Capital Territory and into northern Victoria.
