Leptospermum rupestre | |
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Leptospermum rupestre, Walls of Jerusalem National Park | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Myrtales |
Family: | Myrtaceae |
Genus: | Leptospermum |
Species: | L. rupestre
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Binomial name | |
Leptospermum rupestre | |
Leptospermum rupestre is endemic to Tasmania [2] | |
Synonyms [2] | |
Leptospermum rupestre, commonly known as alpine tea-tree or prostrate tea-tree, [3] is a flowering shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. It is endemic to Tasmania. In alpine areas it assumes a prostrate habit while in subalpine areas it appears as a large shrub.
Leptospermum rupestre is a common alpine and subalpine shrub in Tasmania. The growth habit varies, at higher exposed altitudes it is a prostrate plant up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) high. At lower altitudes it can become a large shrub to 4 m (13 ft) high. It has small, blunt, shiny dark green, oval to elliptic shaped leaves, 2–9 mm (0.079–0.354 in) long. The white flowers are small 1 cm (0.39 in) wide, 5 petalled, with an open habit and flower in profusion in leaf axils during summer. The reddish branches become mat-forming over rocks. The small seed capsules are about 5 mm (0.20 in) in diameter. [4] [5] [6]
Leptospermum rupestre was first formally described in 1840 by botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker and the description was published in Icones Plantarum. [7] [8] Robert Brown observed it growing on rocky outcrops on Mount Wellington and nearby mountains. The word rupestre is derived from the Latin word rupestris, [9] meaning rocky, referring to the habitat where it was found. [7]
This species is endemic to Tasmania, found growing in a sunny situation on light to medium soils. [3]
It is one of the hardiest species of its genus and is suitable for cultivation outdoors. [10]