''Melaleuca bracteata'', commonly known as the black tea-tree, river tea-tree or mock olive is a plant in the myrtle
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
,
Myrtaceae
Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All speci ...
and is endemic to northern Australia. It usually occurs as a large shrub but under ideal conditions can grow into a tree up to tall. It is an adaptable species in cultivation and a number of
cultivar
A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture, ...
s have been developed.
Description
''Melaleuca bracteata'' is a bushy-foliaged, small to medium tree, normally tall but occasionally taller and it usually flowers and sets seed by the time it is tall. Its bark is rough and dark grey in colour. The leaves are narrow, lance-shaped to linear, long by wide with no stalk, or a very short stalk. The leaves are spirally arranged around the stem and crowded together. The upper surface of the leaf is hairy, especially when young, with many oil-dots.
The black tea-tree flowers profusely. Flowers are loosely arranged in clusters to form cylindrical or ovoid spikes, long by about across, coloured cream or white. Each flower usually has a leaf at its base and the petals are shed soon after the flower opens. Flowering occurs from spring to early summer and is followed by fruit which are more or less spherical to oval or barrel-shaped, about in diameter, sparsely arranged along the branches.
![1 melaleuca bracteata habit](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/1_melaleuca_bracteata_habit.jpg)
Taxonomy and naming
''Melaleuca bracteata'' was first described in 1858 by
Ferdinand von Mueller
Baron Sir Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von Mueller, (german: Müller; 30 June 1825 – 10 October 1896) was a German-Australian physician, geographer, and most notably, a botanist. He was appointed government botanist for the then colony of Vict ...
in ''
Fragmenta phytographiae Australiae'' from a specimen collected near
Moreton Bay
Moreton Bay is a bay located on the eastern coast of Australia from central Brisbane, Queensland. It is one of Queensland's most important coastal resources. The waters of Moreton Bay are a popular destination for recreational anglers and are ...
in
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
.
The
specific epithet
In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
(''bracteata'') is derived from the
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
word ''bractea'', meaning "
bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...
".
Distribution and habitat
Black tea-tree occurs in
Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
, the
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...
, and from north-east
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
southwards to the
Macleay River
The Macleay River is a river that spans the Northern Tablelands and Mid North Coast districts of New South Wales, Australia.
Course and features
Formed by the confluence of the Gara River, Salisbury Waters and Bakers Creek, the Macleay River r ...
in
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
. It grows near the coast and inland, along stream banks and in wet sites.
In New South Wales it has been recorded on the
Northern Tablelands
The Northern Tablelands, also known as the New England Tableland, is a plateau and a region of the Great Dividing Range in northern New South Wales, Australia. It includes the New England Range, the narrow highlands area of the New England regio ...
,
North Coast North Coast or Northcoast may refer to :
Antigua and Barbuda
* Major Division of North Coast, a census division in Saint John Parish
Australia
*New South Wales North Coast, a region
Canada
*The British Columbia Coast, primarily the communiti ...
and
North West Slopes
The North West Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia, refers generally to the area west of the Northern Tablelands, to the north of the Central West region and to the east of the Far West region. Despite its name, the region is in north- ...
biogeographic regions.
In Western Australia it occurs in the
Kimberley and in the
Carnarvon and
Pilbara
The Pilbara () is a large, dry, thinly populated region in the north of Western Australia. It is known for its Aboriginal peoples; its ancient landscapes; the red earth; and its vast mineral deposits, in particular iron ore. It is also a glo ...
biogeographic regions.
There are also
disjunct populations in
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
.
Conservation status
This species is classified as "not threatened" in Western Australia by the
Government of Western Australia
The Government of Western Australia, formally referred to as His Majesty's Government of Western Australia, is the Australian state democratic administrative authority of Western Australia. It is also commonly referred to as the WA Government o ...
Department of Parks and Wildlife
The Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) was the department of the Government of Western Australia responsible for managing lands described in the ''Conservation and Land Management Act 1984'' and implementing the state's conservation and e ...
.
Uses
Horticulture
''M. bracteata'' is a useful tree in cultivation because it will grow almost anywhere and because of its compact shape and many flowers.
Garden cultivars that have been developed include "Revolution Gold", "Revolution Green" and a dwarf form called "Golden Gem".
Indigenous use
It has been used in smoking medicine in the
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...
and for making numerous household items.
Essential oils
There are four chemotypes of oil based on
elemicin
Elemicin is a phenylpropene, a natural organic compound, and is a constituent of several plant species' essential oils.
Natural occurrence
Elemicin is a constituent of the oleoresin and the essential oil of ''Canarium luzonicum'' (also referred ...
or
eugenol
Eugenol is an allyl chain-substituted guaiacol, a member of the allylbenzene class of chemical compounds. It is a colorless to pale yellow, aromatic oily liquid extracted from certain essential oils especially from clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, basil ...
that are present in the plant. Methyl eugenol in the leaves can be used in insecticides, perfumes and soap.
Gallery
Image:Melaleuca bracteata habit.jpg, Habit at the extreme southern end of the distribution
Image:Melaleuca bracteata - Kunming Botanical Garden - DSC03151.JPG, Cultivar "Revolution Gold" in Kunming Botanical Garden
Kunming Institute of Botany, or KIB (), founded in 1938, is a research institution in the field of Botany, which is located in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province, China.
The Institute is one of the major herbariums in China and maintains a co ...
Image:Gardenology.org-IMG 2577 ucla09.jpg, Trunk of ''M. bractata'' growing in California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
.
File:東方韻特色小鎮 20191224155438 05.jpg, Cultivar in "Dongfang Yun", Mile City
Mile (; ; Hani language: ; Yi: ) is a county-level city located in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan province, China. It is named after the Maitreya Buddha, for which there was a temple located on a nearby mountain, making it the o ...
, Yunnan
Yunnan , () is a landlocked Provinces of China, province in Southwest China, the southwest of the People's Republic of China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 48.3 million (as of 2018). The capital of the province is ...
, China.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q15369918
bracteata
Myrtales of Australia
Flora of the Northern Territory
Flora of Queensland
Flora of Western Australia
Flora of New South Wales
Garden plants of Australia
Ornamental trees
Plants described in 1858
Taxa named by Ferdinand von Mueller