''Leptospermum whitei'' is a species of shrub that 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 elsew ...

to eastern Australia. It has fibrous, flaky bark, elliptical leaves, white flowers arranged in small groups on the ends of short side branches, and fruit that falls from the plant when mature.

Description

''Leptospermum whitei'' is a shrub that typically grows to a height of or more with reddish brown, fibrous or flaky bark, the younger stems covered with soft hairs. The leaves are elliptical, up to long and wide with a blunt point and tapering to a very short petiole. The flowers are white with several together on short side shoots, each flower about wide. The

floral cup In angiosperms, a hypanthium or floral cup is a structure where basal portions of the calyx, the corolla, and the stamens form a cup-shaped tube. It is sometimes called a floral tube, a term that is also used for corolla tube and calyx tube. It ...

is densely covered with short, silky hairs, and about 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 coined b ...

s are hairy, oblong to hemispherical, about long, the

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s long and the stamens about long. Flowering mainly occurs from October to January and the fruit is a capsule about with the remains of the sepals attached, but which fall from the plant when mature.

Taxonomy and naming

This tea-tree was formally described in 1920 by

Cyril Tenison White Cyril Tenison ("C.T.") White (17 August 1890 – 15 August 1950) was an Australian botanist. Early life White was born in Brisbane to Henry White, a trade broker, and Louisa ''nee'' Bailey. He attended school at South Brisbane State School, an ...

and

William D. Francis William Douglas Francis (6 March 1889 – 2 January 1959) was an Australian botany, botanist. Born in Bega, New South Wales, at the age of 17 he moved with his father Alfred, and brother Frederick, from Wollongong, New South Wales, where he ...

who gave it the name ''Agonis elliptica'' and published the description in the ''Botany Bulletin'' of the ''Department of Agriculture, Queensland'' from specimens collected by Francis near Beerwah. In 1932,

Edwin Cheel Edwin Cheel (14 February 1872 – 19 September 1951) was an Australian botanist and collector. Before being appointed as a staff member of Centennial Park in 1897 he was a gardener in New South Wales and Queensland. Later he transferred to the R ...

transferred the species to the genus 'Leptospermum'', but since there was already a species ''L. ellipticum'' (now known as ''

Pericalymma ellipticum ''Pericalymma ellipticum'', commonly known as a swamp teatree, is a plant species of the family Myrtaceae endemic to Western Australia. The erect shrub typically grows to a height of . It blooms between October and January producing white-pink f ...

''), Cheel changed the name to ''L. whitei'', honouring C.T.White.

Distribution and habitat

''Leptospermum whitei'' grows in swampy, coastal heath between Wide Bay in Queensland and

Coffs Harbour Coffs Harbour is a city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, north of Sydney, and south of Brisbane. It is one of the largest urban centres on the North Coast, with a population of 78,759 as per 2021 census. The Gumbaynggirr ...

in New South Wales.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15368408 whitei Myrtales of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland Plants described in 1920 Taxa named by Cyril Tenison White