Leptospermum rupestre

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Leptospermum rupestre
Leptospermum sp - Walls of Jerusalem.jpg
Leptospermum rupestre,
Walls of Jerusalem National Park
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Leptospermum
Species:
L. rupestre
Binomial name
Leptospermum rupestre
Hook.f.[1]
Synonyms

Leptospermum rupestre, commonly known as alpine tea-tree or prostrate tea-tree,[2] is a flowering shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. It is endemic to Tasmania. In alpine areas it assumes a prostrate habit while in subalpine areas it appears as a large shrub.

Description[]

Leptospermum rupestre is a common alpine and subalpine shrub in Tasmania. The growth habit varies, at higher exposed altitudes it is a prostrate plant up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) high. At lower altitudes it can become a large shrub to 4 m (13 ft) high. It has small, blunt, shiny dark green, oval to elliptic shaped leaves, 2–9 mm (0.079–0.354 in) long. The white flowers are small 1 cm (0.39 in) wide, 5 petalled, with an open habit and flower in profusion in leaf axils during summer. The reddish branches become mat-forming over rocks. The small seed capsules are about 5 mm (0.20 in) in diameter.[3][4][5]

Taxonomy and naming[]

Leptospermum rupestre was first formally described in 1840 by botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker and the description was published in Icones Plantarum.[6][7] Robert Brown observed it growing on rocky outcrops on Mount Wellington and nearby mountains. The word rupestre is derived from the Latin word rupestris,[8] meaning rocky, referring to the habitat where it was found.[6]

Distribution and habitat[]

This species is endemic to Tasmania, found growing in a sunny situation on light to medium soils.[2]

References[]

  1. ^ "Leptospermum rupestre". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Leptospermum rupestre". Ole Lantana's Seed Store. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  3. ^ Wrigley, John W.; Fagg, Murray (2001). Australian Native Plants. Louise Eggerton-Read New Holland. ISBN 1-876334-30-4.
  4. ^ "Leptospermum rupestre". Australian Native Plants-Online. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  5. ^ "Leptospermum rupestre (Myrtaceae)". Key to Tasmanian vascular plants. University of Tasmania. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Icones Plantarum". Biodiversity Heritage Library. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  7. ^ "Leptospermum rupestre". Australian Plant Name Index. Retrieved 19 December 2019.
  8. ^ Francis Aubie Sharr (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and their Meanings. Kardinya Western Australia: Four Gables Press. p. 299. ISBN 9780958034180.
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