''Baeckea gunniana'', commonly known as alpine baeckea, is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to alpine and sub-alpine areas of south-eastern Australia. It is a densely-branched shrub with egg-shaped to oblong leaves and small white flowers with four to six stamens.

Description

''Baeckea gunniana'' is a smooth, compact shrub growing up to high, although it can reach up to at lower altitudes. It is sometimes prostrate, spreading over rocks and boulders. The branchlets have papery or fibrous brown bark. The leaves are crowded, elliptical to egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, long, wide on a petiole about long and have smooth edges. The flowers up to in diameter and are borne singly in upper leaf axils, each flower on a

pedicel Pedicle or pedicel may refer to: Human anatomy *Pedicle of vertebral arch, the segment between the transverse process and the vertebral body, and is often used as a radiographic marker and entry point in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures ...

long. The

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coine ...

s are triangular to oblong, long and the petals are white, more or less round and long. There are four to six stamens all about the same length. The ovary has a single locule, the

style Style is a manner of doing or presenting things and may refer to: * Architectural style, the features that make a building or structure historically identifiable * Design, the process of creating something * Fashion, a prevailing mode of clothing ...

is needle-shaped and in a small dent in the top of the ovary. (The unilocular ovary is unique in the genus.) The fruit is a cup-like capsule, the seeds small and angular, remaining inconspicuous on the ground upon release.

Taxonomy and phylogeny

''Baeckea gunniana'' was first formally described in 1843 by the German botanist

Johannes Conrad Schauer Johannes Conrad Schauer (16 February 1813 – 24 October 1848) was a botanist interested in Spermatophytes. He was born in Frankfurt am Main and attended the gymnasium of Mainz from 1825 to 1837. For the next three years he worked at the Hofgar ...

in Walpers' book ''Repertorium Botanices Systematicae''. The specific epithet (''gunniana'') honours Ronald Campbell Gunn.

Distribution and habitat

Alpine baeckea is restricted to alpine or subalpine regions, from

Mount Ginini Mount Ginini is a mountain with an elevation of in the Brindabella Ranges that is located on the border between the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales in Australia. Geography The summit of the mountain is located within the ACT ...

in the Australian Capital Territory and

Mount Kosciuszko Mount Kosciuszko ( ; Ngarigo: , ), previously spelled Mount Kosciusko, is mainland Australia's tallest mountain, at 2,228 metres (7,310 ft) above sea level. It is located on the Main Range of the Snowy Mountains in Kosciuszko National ...

in south-eastern New South Wales to eastern Victoria and south-western Tasmania. ''Baeckea gunniana'' is most prevalent at high altitudes between , however, it has been observed to grow above near Mount Kosciuszko, and as low as in western Tasmania. ''Baeckea gunniana'' is commonly found growing with species such as ''Callistemon pityoides'', '' Epacris paludosa'', and ''

Empodisma minus ''Empodisma minus'', commonly known as (lesser) wire rush or spreading rope-rush, is a perennial evergreen belonging to the southern-hemisphere family of monocotyledons called the Restionaceae. The Latin name ''Empodisma minus'' translates to “ ...

'', in heathlands or boggy sedgeland. It is also common near creeks, and sometimes in shaded areas under ''

Eucalyptus ''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of over seven hundred species of flowering trees, shrubs or mallees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae, including '' Corymbia'', they are commonly known as e ...

'' species.

Ecology

This species forms an integral part of the

broad-toothed mouse The broad-toothed rat (''Mastacomys fuscus'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. Distribution and habitat It is found only in South-eastern Australia. In Victoria live specimens have been caught in the Snowfields, Great Dividing Ra ...

habitat in New South Wales, providing protection from predators and large grazers.

Uses

Use in horticulture

The seed coat/covering or testa of some ''Baeckea'' species has been recorded to form a physical barrier inhibiting seed germination. This may be reverted by removing or nicking the testa using a needle or scalpel, improving the rate of germination. ''B. gunniana'' can also be vegetatively propagated from cuttings of semi-hardened new growth.

Other uses

''Baeckea'' leaves are edible and often used as a tea substitute because of their aromatic citrus-like flavour. Extracts from ''B. gunniana'' have been found to inhibit the activity of DNA Polymerase enzyme.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15400846 gunniana Endemic flora of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of the Australian Capital Territory Flora of Victoria (state) Flora of Tasmania Taxa named by Johannes Conrad Schauer Plants described in 1843