Baeckea Behrii

''Baeckea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, all but one endemic to Australia. Plants in the genus ''Baeckea'' are shrubs or small trees with leaves arranged in opposite pairs, white to deep pink flowers with five sepals and five petals, and five to fifteen stamens that are shorter than the petals.

Description

Plants in the genus ''Baeckea'' are glabrous shrubs, sometimes small trees, usually with the leaves arranged in opposite pairs or decussate. The flowers are usually arranged singly in leaf axils on a pedicel with two bracteoles at the base but that sometimes fall off as the flower opens. There are five sepals and five white to deep pink , more or less round petals that are free from each other. Five to fifteen stamens are arranged in a single row and are shorter that the petals and open by parallel slits. The fruit is a capsule containing many seeds.''Baeckia''.
Flora of China.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Baeckea'' was first formally described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in his ''Species Plantarum''. The genus is named in honor of the Swedish physician Abraham Bäck (or Baeck) (1713–1795).Genaust, H. (1976). ''Etymologisches Wörterbuch der botanischen Pflanzennamen''

Many species formerly placed in the genus are currently included in ''Euryomyrtus'', ''Harmogia'', ''Kardomia'', ''Oxymyrrhine'', ''Rinzia'', ''Sannantha'', ''Seorsus'' and ''Triplarina''.

The closest genera to ''Baeckea'' are the fleshy-fruited ''Myrcianthes'', and the dry-fruited ''Angophora'' and ''Backhousia''.

Distribution and habitat

Species in the genus ''Baeckea'' are endemic to Australia, apart from '' B. frutescens'' that also occurs in Malesia.

Species list

The names of 27 species of ''Baeckea'' have been accepted by Plants of the World Online as at January 2022:
*'' Baeckea brevifolia'' ( Rudge) DC. (N.S.W.)
*'' Baeckea diosmifolia'' Rudge – fringed baeckea (Qld., N.S.W.)
*'' Baeckea elderiana'' Pritz. (W.A.)
*'' Baeckea exserta'' S.Moore (W.A.)
*''Baeckea frutescens'' L. (S.E. Asia, New Guinea, Qld., N.S.W.)
*'' Baeckea grandibracteata'' Pritz. (W.A.)
*'' Baeckea grandiflora'' Benth. – large-flowered baeckea (W.A.)
*'' Baeckea grandis'' Pritz. (W.A.)
*''Baeckea gunniana'' S.Schauer ex Walp. – alpine baeckea (N.S.W., Vic., Tas.)
*'' Baeckea imbricata'' (Gaertn.) Druce – heath myrtle (Qld., N.S.W.)
*'' Baeckea kandos'' A.R.Bean (N.S.W.)
*'' Baeckea latens'' C.R.P.Andrews (W.A.)
*'' Baeckea latifolia'' (Benth.) A.R.Bean (N.S.W., Vic.)
*'' Baeckea leptocaulis'' Hook.f. (Tas.)
*'' Baeckea leptophylla'' (Turcz.) Domin (W.A.)
*''Baeckea linifolia'' Rudge – swamp baeckea, weeping baeckea, flax-leaf heath myrtle (Qld., N.S.W., Vic.)
*'' Baeckea muricata'' C.A.Gardner (W.A.)
*'' Baeckea omissa'' A.R.Bean (Qld., N.S.W.)
*'' Baeckea pachyphylla'' Benth. (W.A.)
*'' Baeckea pentagonantha'' F.Muell. (W.A.)
*'' Baeckea pygmaea'' Benth. (W.A.)
*'' Baeckea robusta'' F.Muell. (W.A.)
*'' Baeckea staminosa'' Pritz. (W.A.)
*'' Baeckea subcuneata'' F.Muell. (W.A.)
*'' Baeckea trapeza'' A.R.Bean (Qld.)
*'' Baeckea uncinella'' Benth. (W.A.)
*'' Baeckea utilis'' F.Muell. ex Miq. – mountain baeckea (N.S.W., A.C.T., Vic.)

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q137714

Myrtaceae genera
Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus