The ''Leptospermum grandifolium'', commonly known as mountain tea-tree or woolly teatree, is a species of shrub or small tree that is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...

to south-eastern Australia. It has elliptical to egg-shaped leaves with a sharp point on the tip, white flowers and relatively large, broadly hemispherical fruit.

Description

''Leptospermum grandifolium'' is a shrub that grows to a height of about or a tree up to tall with smooth bark that is shed in papery strips or flakes. It has narrow egg-shaped to elliptical leaves long and wide, often with a felty surface, with a small, sharp pointed tip and a base tapering to a short petiole. The flowers are arranged singly on short side shoots on the ends of leafy branchlets and are or more in diameter. There are broad, pale brownish bracts and bracteoles at the base of the flower bud. The floral cup is long and densely hairy. The

sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 The term ''sepalum'' was coined ...

s are egg-shaped to triangular, long and densely hairy, the

petal Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corolla''. Petals are usuall ...

s white, long and the

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filam ...

s about long. Flowering occurs from October to January and the fruit is a hemispherical capsule wide that remains on the plant when mature with the sepals attached.

Taxonomy and naming

''Leptospermum grandifolium'' was first formally described in 1802 by James Edward Smith in ''

Transactions of the Linnean Society of London The Linnean Society of London is a learned society dedicated to the study and dissemination of information concerning natural history, evolution, and taxonomy. It possesses several important biological specimen, manuscript and literature coll ...

''.

Distribution and habitat

Mountain tea-tree is found in the eastern half of Victoria, in the Australian Capital Territory and in south eastern New South Wales as far north as the

Hawkesbury River The Hawkesbury River, or Hawkesbury-Nepean River, is a river located northwest of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Hawkesbury River and its associated main tributary, the Nepean River, almost encircle the metropolitan region of Sydney ...

. It grows in swamps, along rocky streams and on sheltered slopes from the coast to subalpine parts of

Mount Kosciuszko Mount Kosciuszko ( ; Ngarigo language, Ngarigo: , ), previously spelled Mount Kosciusko, is mainland Australia (continent), Australia's tallest mountain, at 2,228 metres (7,310 ft) above sea level. It is located on the Main Range (Snowy M ...

Cultivation

''Leptospermum grandifolium'' is one of several ''Leptospermum'' species which are valued in cultivation. The

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 ...

'Silver Sheen' is hardy in mild and coastal areas of the UK, down to , but requires a sheltered position. It is a recipient of the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (No ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. History The Award of Garden Merit ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q649040 Flora of New South Wales Flora of Victoria (state) grandifolium Myrtales of Australia Flora of the Australian Capital Territory