Melaleuca quinquenervia
Proc. Roy. Soc. Queensland 69: 76. 1958.
Illustrator:
Copyright:
Trees, 1–18 m; bark papery. Leaves alternate; blade usually narrowly elliptic to elliptic, rarely somewhat falcate, 5.5–12 × 1–3.1 cm, veins 5–7, longitudinal, surfaces glabrescent. Inflorescences 15–54-flowered, flowers in triads, pseudoterminal, sometimes also axillary distally, to 40 mm wide. Flowers: calyx lobes glabrous abaxially, margins scarious, 0.3–0.4 mm wide; petals deciduous, 2.5–3.5 mm; filaments connate in bundles of 5–10, white, cream, greenish white, green, creamy white, or creamy yellow, 10.5–20 mm, bundle claw 0.9–2.5 mm; style 11–18 mm; ovules ca. 50–65 per locule. Capsules 2.7–4 mm. Cotyledons obvolute. 2n = 22.
Phenology: Flowering year-round (commonly in fall).
Elevation: 0–30 m.
Distribution
Introduced; Fla., La., Asia (Malesia), Pacific Islands (New Caledonia), Australia, also elsewhere in Pacific Islands (Hawaii), widely elsewhere
Discussion
Melaleuca quinquenervia is a serious woody weed of wetland habitats in Florida and Louisiana. Mechanical control has not been successful and research in recent years has been focused upon biological control.
Selected References
None.
Lower Taxa
"lengthofovary" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.