''Leptospermum rotundifolium'', commonly known as round-leaved tea tree, is a species of flowering plants in the family

Myrtaceae Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All spe ...

and 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 ...

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, naturalised in Victoria and Western Australia. It is an erect shrub with more or less circular leaves but with a small point on the tip, and relatively large pink or white flowers.

Description

''Leptospermum rotundifolium'' is an erect shrub that typically grows to a height of more than . The bark on mature specimens is gnarled and slightly flaky. The leaves are thick, more or less circular with a small, blunt point on the tip, mostly long and wide on a petiole about long. They are smooth and slightly shiny and give off an aromatic perfume when bruised. The flowers are borne singly, in diameter and are

sessile Sessility, or sessile, may refer to: * Sessility (motility), organisms which are not able to move about * Sessility (botany), flowers or leaves that grow directly from the stem or peduncle of a plant * Sessility (medicine), tumors and polyps that ...

, 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 long, the petals long and white or pink. Flowering occurs from October to December and the fruit are hemispherical and mostly in diameter.

Taxonomy

This tea-tree was first formally described in 1900 by

Joseph Maiden Joseph Henry Maiden (25 April 1859 – 16 November 1925) was a botanist who made a major contribution to knowledge of the Australian flora, especially the genus ''Eucalyptus''. This botanist is denoted by the author abbreviation when citing ...

and

Ernst Betche Daniel Ludwig Ernst Betche (31 December 1851, in Potsdam – 28 June 1913, in Sydney) was a German-Australian horticulturist and botanist. His mother died at his birth and he was of delicate constitution all his life. His father was sufficiently ...

who gave it the name ''Leptospermum scoparium'' var. ''rotundifolium'' in the ''

Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales The Linnean Society of New South Wales promotes ''the Cultivation and Study of the Science of Natural History in all its Branches'' and was founded in Sydney, New South Wales (Australia) in 1874 and incorporated in 1884. History The Society succ ...

'' from specimens collected south of the

Shoalhaven River The Shoalhaven River is a perennial river that rises from the Southern Tablelands and flows into an open mature wave dominated barrier estuary near Nowra on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia. Location and features The Shoalh ...

in 1900. In 1919,

Edwin Cheel Edwin Cheel (14 February 1872 – 19 September 1951) was an Australian botanist and collector. Before being appointed as a staff member of Centennial Park in 1897 he was a gardener in New South Wales and Queensland. Later he transferred to the R ...

published a paper in the ''

Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New South Wales A journal, from the Old French ''journal'' (meaning "daily"), may refer to: *Bullet journal, a method of personal organization *Diary, a record of what happened over the course of a day or other period *Daybook, also known as a general journal, a ...

'' crediting

Frederick Arthur Rodway Frederick Arthur Rodway (25 March 1880, Hobart, Tasmania – 1 April 1956, Nowra, New South Wales) was an Australian physician, botanist, and plant collector. He collected spermatophytes in New South Wales and Western Australia. Biography F. A. R ...

with raising the variety to species status as ''Leptospermum rotundifolium''.

Distribution and habitat

''Leptospermum rotundifolium'' grows in rocky places in shrubby heath or forest from near Sydney to

Nerriga Nerriga is a small village in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council. It is situated at the edge of Morton National Park, on the Braidwood - Nowra road. The population of Nerriga and the ...

in near-coastal areas of New South Wales. It has also been naturalised in a small area in the

Shire of Manjimup The Shire of Manjimup is a local government area in the South West region of Western Australia, about south of the state capital, Perth. The Shire covers an area of , and its seat of government is the town of Manjimup. History The Shire are ...

in south-western Western Australia and was recorded once in eastern Victoria.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15369519 rotundifolium Flora of Western Australia Flora of New South Wales Plants described in 1900 Taxa named by Joseph Maiden Taxa named by Ernst Betche