''Leptospermum obovatum'', commonly known as river teatree, is a species of shrub that is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It has egg-shaped or lance-shaped leaves that are narrower at the base, white flowers usually arranged singly on short side shoots and fruit that remains on the plant until it dies.

Description

''Leptospermum obovatum'' is a densely foliaged shrub that typically grows to a height of about with thin, firm bark on the older stems. It has aromatic, egg-shaped or lance-shaped leaves that are narrower at the base, long and or more wide on a very short petiole. The flowers are borne singly, sometimes in pairs on short side shoots. The flowers are white, wide with reddish brown

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...

s at the base of the flower bud but that fall before the flowers open. The

floral cup In angiosperms, a hypanthium or floral cup is a structure where basal portions of the calyx, the corolla, and the stamens form a cup-shaped tube. It is sometimes called a floral tube, a term that is also used for corolla tube and calyx tube. It ...

is glabrous, long on a short

pedicel Pedicle or pedicel may refer to: Human anatomy *Pedicle of vertebral arch, the segment between the transverse process and the vertebral body, and is often used as a radiographic marker and entry point in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures ...

. The sepals are triangular to broadly egg-shaped or almost round, long, the

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

s 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 filame ...

s long. Flowering mainly occurs from November to January and the fruit is a broadly hemispherical capsule in diameter and that remains on the plant until it dies, the sepal remnants having fallen.

Taxonomy and naming

''Leptospermum obovatum'' was first formally described by in 1827 Robert Sweet in his book ''Flora Australasica''. The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

(''obovatum'') is a Latin word meaning " obovate".

Distribution and habitat

River teatree grows among rocks, near swift-flowing streams and often in swampy places. It is found on the Southern Tablelands and

South Coast South Coast is a name often given to coastal areas to the south of a geographical region or major metropolitan area. Geographical Australia *South Coast (New South Wales), the coast of New South Wales, Australia, south of Sydney * South Coast (Q ...

of New South Wales and is widespread in southern Victoria.

Use in horticulture

This species can be grown from seed or from cuttings and is hardy in cultivation. It will grow in heavy shade, is frost hardy, and a useful screening plant.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15368514 obovatum Myrtales of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of Victoria (Australia) Plants described in 1827