bio.wikisort.org - Plant

Melaleuca sheathiana, commonly known as boree is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, and is endemic to central and south-western Western Australia. It is similar to Melaleuca pauperiflora except that it has small, spoon-shaped leaves.

Boree
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Genus:	Melaleuca
Species:	M. sheathiana
Binomial name
Melaleuca sheathiana W.Fitzg.[1]

Description

Melaleuca sheathiana is a shrub or small tree growing to a height of 7 m (20 ft) with papery bark. The leaves are arranged alternately, 2–3.5 mm (0.08–0.1 in) long, 0.9–1.3 mm (0.04–0.05 in) wide, narrow spoon shaped, almost circular in cross section and with a rounded or blunt point on the end.[2]

The flowers are cream or white, arranged in heads or short spikes with 4 to 11 individual flowers, the spike up to 15 mm (0.6 in) in diameter. The stamens are arranged in five bundles around the flower and there are 9 to 14 stamens per bundle. The main flowering season is spring and is followed by fruit which are woody capsules 2.8–4.1 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long in clusters along the stem.[2][3]

Taxonomy and naming

Melaleuca sheathiana was first formally described in 1902 by William Fitzgerald in "Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Western Australia".[4] The specific epithet (sheathiana) is to honour Jeremiah Sheath, an early Superintendent of King's Park in Perth.[2] The common name, boree or booree, is taken from the Noongar name for the plant.[5]

Distribution and habitat

Boree occurs in and between the Lake Barlee, Lake Cronin and Rawlinna districts[2] in the Coolgardie, Mallee and Murchison biogeographic regions[6] where it grows in sandy, clayey or loamy soils on stony hillsides and dunes.[7]

Conservation

Melaleuca sheathiana is classified as "not threatened" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife.[6]

Uses

Horticulture

Boree is a useful shrub for hedges and windbreaks in temperate climates. It grows well in most well-drained soils and it is frost hardy.[3]

Essential oils

The leaves of this species contain a number of essential oils, the most abundant being alpha-Pinene and 1,8-cineole (Eucalyptol).[2]

References

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