Calothamnus montanus

Calothamnus montanus is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with short, needle-shaped leaves and red flowers with four stamen bundles. (In 2014 Craven, Edwards and Cowley proposed that the species be renamed Melaleuca georgi.)[1]

Calothamnus montanus
Calothamnus montanus growing on Mount Trio
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Calothamnus
Species:
C. montanus
Binomial name
Calothamnus montanus
Synonyms

Melaleuca georgi Craven & R.D.Edwards

Description

Calothamnus montanus is a shrub growing to a height of about 2 metres (7 ft) with stems that are hairy at first but become glabrous and thick over time. Its leaves are needle-like, mostly 3.5–11 millimetres (0.1–0.4 in) long and 0.8–1.0 millimetre (0.03–0.04 in) wide and circular in cross section.[2]

The flowers have 4 sepals and 4 petals. The stamens are partly red, partly green and are arranged in 4 claw-like bundles, each about 25–28 millimetres (0.98–1.1 in) long. The petals are 2.5–3 millimetres (0.098–0.12 in) long. Flowering occurs from October to January and is followed by fruits which are woody, flattened spherical capsules, 3–5 millimetres (0.1–0.2 in) long and partly buried in the stem.[2]

Calothamnus montanus habit
Calothamnus montanus fruits sunken in stem
Calothamnus montanus young foliage

Taxonomy and naming

Calothamnus montanus was first formally described in 2010 by Alex George from a specimen found in the Stirling Range National Park.[2][3] The specific epithet (montanus) is "from the Latin montanus (montane), in reference to the occurrence".[2]

Distribution and habitat

Calothamnus montanus occurs in the Stirling Range National Park in the Esperance Plains biogeographic region where it grows in soil derived from metamorphic rocks.[2][4]

Conservation

Calothamnus montanus is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.[4]

References
  1. Craven, Lyn A.; Edwards, Robert D.; Cowley, Kirsten J. (30 June 2014). "New combinations and names in Melaleuca (Myrtaceae)". Taxon. 63 (3): 666. doi:10.12705/633.38.
  2. George, Alex S. (2010). "Calothamnus (Myrtaceae): precursor paper to Flora of Australia" (PDF). Nuytsia. 20: 191. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  3. "Calothamnus montanus". APNI. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  4. "Calothamnus montanus". FloraBase. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
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