Leptospermum

J. R. Forster & G. Forster

Char. Gen. Pl. ed. 2, 71, plate 36. 1776. name conserved

Common names: Tea tree
Etymology: Greek leptos, slender or small, and sperma, seed, alluding to form and size
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 10.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA10 P33 Eucalyptus grandis.jpgEucalyptus grandis
Leptospermum laevigatum
Melaleuca quinquenervia

Shrubs or small trees, glabrous or pubescent, hairs simple. Leaves alternate; blade venation parallelodromous, faint, often with visible midvein, sometimes also 2–4 veins arising from base, arching to apex. Inflorescences 1–3-flowered, axillary, flowers solitary or clustered. Flowers 5-merous, subsessile; hypanthium mostly widely cupshaped; calyx lobes distinct; petals white [pink or red]; stamens 15–35, about as long as perianth; ovary [2–] 6–12-locular; style equaling or shorter than stamens; ovules [6–] 15 [–28] per locule. Fruits capsules, brown or gray, obconic to broadly bowl-shaped, woody, opening apically. Seeds numerous, obovoid to irregular-linear, flattened, 1–2.5 mm; seed-coat reticulate or striate.

Distribution

Introduced; California, Australasia

Discussion

Species ca. 70 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

... more about "Leptospermum"
dorsifixed +  and basifixed +
Elizabeth McClintock† +
J. R. Forster & G. Forster +
parallelodromous +
submembranous +, papery +  and leathery +
Tea tree +
California +  and Australasia +
Greek leptos, slender or small, and sperma, seed, alluding to form and size +
subsessile +  and 5-merous +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
gray +  and brown +
obconic +  and broadly bowl-shaped +
aromatic +
petiolate +  and simple +
persistent +
basal +, subapical +  and inferior +
coherent +, fused +  and distinct +
Char. Gen. Pl. ed. +
striate +  and reticulate +
bony +, hard +, leathery +  and membranous +
flattened +, obovoid +  and irregular-linear +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> - 0.25 cm2.5 mm <br />0.0025 m <br /> +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
15 +  and 35 +
Leptospermum +
Myrtaceae +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
arching +  and arising +