Abstract
The genus Leptospermum is a member of the family Myrtaceae, which is subdivided into a number of tribes. The Leptospermeae contains genera in which the ovary generally is divided into two to five cells. The capsules open by partitions visible at the apex of the fruit, and contain one or two seeds. Rarely, the capsules fail to open. The leaves (which are rarely more than a few centimeters long) show an alternate arrangement which separates Leptospermum and some other genera from a minority of plants in which the leaves are opposite (Bentham and Mueller 1866; Thompson 1989; Bean 1992). The flowers are bisexual and the ovary is inferior, that is, attached below the plane where the petals and sepals are attached. The petals (five and spreading to form a flat flower) and sepals (five and not awned) are arranged alternately in rings at the upper edge of the calyx tube. A centrally placed, erect and undivided stylet is present. The stamens are erect, numerous and arranged at the periphery of the thalamus in a single ring, and are not longer, or are scarcely longer, than the petals. The capsule contains two or three and usually five chambers (Blombery 1967; Garnet 1967; Thompson 1989; Bean 1992).
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Anonymous (1975) Large shrubs for Townsville. Aust Plants 8: 126–131
Barker PK, Fossard de RA, Bourne RA (1977) Progress towards clonal propagation of Eucalyptus spp. by tissue culture techniques. Int Plant Propagators Soc Proc 27: 546–556
Bean AR (1992) The genus Leptospermum Forst. et Forst. F. (Myrtaceae) in northern Australia and Malesia. Austrobaileya 3: 643–659
Bentham G, Mueller F (1866) Flora Australiensis: a description of the plants of the Australian territory, vol III. Myrtaceae to Compositae. Lovell Reeve, London
Blombery AM (1967) A guide to native Australian plants. Angus and Robertson, Melbourne
Braun RH, Leung DWN (1991) Establishment and clonal propagation of in vitro plantlets of Leptospermum scoparium. NZ Nat Sci 18: 39–44
Brophy JJ, Boland DJ, Lassak EV (1989) Leaf essential oils of Melaleuca and Leptospermum species from tropical Australia. In: Boland DJ (ed) Trees for the tropics. Aust Cent Int Agric Res, Canberra, pp 193–203
Burrell JP (1981) Invasion of coastal heaths in Victoria by Leptospermum laevigatum (J. Gaertn). F. Muel. Aust J Bot 29: 747–764
Cremer KW (1990) Choosing the right species. In: Cremer KW (ed) Trees for rural Australia. Inkata Press, Melbourne, pp 17–75
Cook JM, Mark AF, Shore BF (1980) Responses of Leptospermum scoparium and L. ericoides (Myrtaceae) to waterlogging. N Z J Bot 18: 233–246
Corner EJH (1940) Wayside trees of Malaya, vol 1. Government Printer, Singapore
Diatoff E (1990) Effects of applied nitrogen fertiliser on the chemical composition of the essential oil of three Leptospermum spp. Aust J Exp Agric 30: 681–685
Ellyard RK, Omerenshaw PJ, Hadobas HL (1985) Growool as a cutting medium for Australian native plants. Aust Hortic 83 (7): 26–27
Garnet JR (1967) The heath myrtles. A few comparable genera in the family “Myrtaceae”. Aust Plants 4: 78–83
Gray AM (1967) Tasmanian tea trees. Aust Plants 4: 61–62
Greer DH, Muir AF, Harris W (1991) Seasonal frost hardiness in Leptospermum scoparium seedlings from diverse sites throughout New Zealand. N Z J Bot 29: 207–212
Holliday IG (1967) Tea trees for South Australia: Myrtaceae for S.A. gardens. Aust Plants 4: 60
Laing RM, Blackwell EW (1964) Plants of New Zealand, 7th edn, revised by Godley EJ. Whitcomb and Tombs Limited, Auckland
Martin WM (1968) Some leptospermums for the garden. Aust Plants 4: 368–369
Mayer R (1990) Flavonoids from Leptospermum scoparium. Phytochemistry 29: 1340–1342
Morris JD (1984) Establishment of trees and shrubs on a saline site using drip irrigation. Aust For 47: 210–217
Murashige T, Skoog F (1962) A revised medium for rapid growth and bioassays with tobacco tissue cultures. Physiol Plant 15: 473–497
O’Rourke TP (1980) Australian plants for the Australian country. Aust Plants 10: 373–375
Radke P, Radke A (1983) Gardening on the Atherton tablelands with dry-land plants. Aust Plants 12: 216–226
Ronghua Y, Mark AF, Wilson JB (1984) Aspects of the ecology of the indigenous shrub Leptospermum scoparium (Myrtaceae) in New Zealand. N Z J Bot 22: 483–507
Salmon JT (1980) The native trees of New Zealand. Reed, Wellington
Shipton WA (1982) Clonal propagation of Callistemon by tissue culture techniques. Plant Cell Rep 1: 199–201
Shipton WA, Jackes BR (1986) Clonal propagation of Leptospermum spp. by tissue culture. Plant Cell Rep 5: 5–8
Simmons M (1966) Frost hardy natives-2. Aust Plants 3: 275–287
Thompson J (1983) Redefinitions and nomenclatural changes within Leptospermum suballiance of Myrtaceae. Telopea 2: 379–383
Thompson J (1989) A revision of the genus Leptospermum (Myrtaceae). Telopea 3: 301–448
Wheller CL (1969) Wildflowers in clay areas: Australian plants for the Keilor plains. Aust Plants 5: 195–199,213–214
Wrigley JW, Fagg M (1992) Australian native plants, third ed. Angus and Robertson, London
Zieslin N, Gottesman V (1986) Environmental factors involved in growth, flowering and post-harvest behaviour of flowers of Leptospermum scoparium J.R. & G. Forst. Isr J Bot 35: 101–108
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1996 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Shipton, W.A., Jackes, B.R. (1996). Leptospermum Species (Tea Trees). In: Bajaj, Y.P.S. (eds) Trees IV. Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry, vol 35. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-10617-4_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-10617-4_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-08226-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-662-10617-4
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive