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Leptospermopsis oligandra
Near Wandering
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Genus:	Leptospermum
Species:	L. oligandrum
Binomial name
Leptospermum oligandrum Turcz.
Synonyms
Kunzea podantha F.Muell. Leptospermopsis myrtifolia S.Moore Leptospermum erubescens var. psilocalyx Benth. Leptospermum podanthum (F.Muell.) Diels

Leptospermum oligandrum is a species of erect, spreading shrub that is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It has broadly egg-shaped to wedge-shaped leaves, white flowers arranged singly or in groups of up to three on the ends of short side branches and fruit that fall from the plant shortly after the seeds are released.

Description

Leptospermum oligandrum is an erect spreading shrub that grows to a height of 0.4–3 mm (0.016–0.118 in) and has thin stringy or flaky bark on the older stems. The young stems are silky-hairy at first, later glabrous. The leaves are broadly egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base or wedge-shaped, 3–10 mm (0.12–0.39 in) long and 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) wide tapering to a petiole less than 1 mm (0.039 in) long. The flowers are white, 3–10 mm (0.12–0.39 in) wide and arranged singly or in groups of up to three on short, leafy side shoots. The flower buds have egg-shaped, reddish brown bracts and bracteoles at the base but that usually fall off well before the flower opens. The floral cup is 2–3 mm (0.079–0.118 in) or more long on a thin pedicel 2–5 mm (0.079–0.197 in) long. The sepals are 1–1.5 mm (0.039–0.059 in) long and are not differentiated from the floral cup. The petals are 1.5–3 mm (0.059–0.118 in) long and the stamens about 1 mm (0.039 in) long. Flowering mainly occurs from September to December and the fruit is a capsule 2–4 mm (0.079–0.157 in) long with the remnants of the sepals attached but that falls from the plant when the seeds mature.

Taxonomy and naming

Leptospermum oligandrum was first formally described in 1852 by Nikolai Turczaninow in the Bulletin de la Classe Physico-Mathématique de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg from material collected by James Drummond. The specific epithet (oligandrum) is derived from ancient Greek words oligos (ὀλίγος), meaning "few" and anēr, genitive andros (ἀνήρ, genitive ἀνδρός), meaning "male", referring to the few stamens in the flowers.

Distribution and habitat

This tea-tree usually grows in heath or scrub and is widespread in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains, Jarrah Forest, Mallee and Swan Coastal Plain biogeographic regions of Western Australia.

Conservation status

This species is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.

References

1. ^ "Leptospermum oligandrum". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
2. ^ Thompson, Joy (1989). "A revision of the genus Leptospermum (Myrtaceae)". Telopea. 3 (3): 350–351.
3. ^ "Leptospermum oligandrum". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
4. "Leptospermum nitens". APNI. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
5. Turczaninow, Nikolai (1852). "Myrtaceae Xerocarpicae in Nova Hollandia a cl. Drummond lectae et plerumque in collectione ejus quinta distributae, determinatae et descriptae". Bulletin de la Classe Physico-Mathématique de l'Académie Impériale des Sciences de Saint-Pétersbourg. 10: 335. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
6. Backer, C.A. (1936). Verklarend woordenboek der wetenschappelijke namen van de in Nederland en Nederlandsch-Indië in het wild groeiende en in tuinen en parken gekweekte varens en hoogere planten (Edition Nicoline van der Sijs).

• Leptospermum
• Flora of Western Australia
• Plants described in 1852
• Taxa named by Nikolai Turczaninow