Tantoon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tantoon |
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| In Sherwood Nature Reserve | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Leptospermum |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
L. p. subsp. cismontanum
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| Trinomial name | |
| Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. cismontanum Joy Thomps.
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| Synonyms | |
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The Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. cismontanum, often called tantoon, is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the Myrtaceae family, which also includes eucalyptus trees. This plant is special because it is found only in certain areas of eastern Australia. It grows as a bush or a small tree. You can spot its white flowers in the spring. Its leaves are shaped like an oval.
What Does Tantoon Look Like?
Tantoon usually grows as a shrub, reaching about 1 meter (about 3 feet) tall. Sometimes, it can grow into a slender tree, up to 4 meters (about 13 feet) high. Its leaves are oval-shaped. They are dull green on top and lighter underneath. The leaves are usually 8 to 10 millimeters long and 2 millimeters wide. Their edges often curve downwards.
The flowers of the Tantoon plant are white. They are about 10 millimeters (about 0.4 inches) across. Each flower has a cup-shaped base called a hypanthium, which is about 2.5 to 3 millimeters long. The sepals, which are like small leaves protecting the flower bud, are 1.5 to 2 millimeters long. They have thin, pale edges.
Tantoon flowers bloom in September and October. After flowering, the plant produces a fruit. This fruit is a round, dry capsule. It is about 5 to 7 millimeters (about 0.2 to 0.3 inches) wide.
How Was Tantoon Named?
This specific type of Tantoon plant was first described in 1989. A botanist named Joy Thompson gave it its scientific name. She wrote about it in a science journal called Telopea. Her description was based on plant samples she collected in 1975. These samples were found near a place called Dungog.
Where Does Tantoon Grow?
Tantoon is very common in forests close to the coast. You can find it from Fraser Island in Queensland down to Gosford in New South Wales. It often grows on sandy rock formations. However, it can also be found in wet coastal areas, old sand dunes, and on hillsides. This plant is endemic to these areas, meaning it naturally grows nowhere else in the world.
