''Leptospermum thompsonii'', commonly known as the monga tea-tree, is a species of tall shrub that is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only 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 foun ...

to south eastern New South Wales. It has rough, flaky bark, broadly elliptical to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and a sharply-pointed tip, white flowers and fruit that remains on the plant at maturity.

Description

''Leptospermum thompsonii'' is an erect shrub of that grows to a height of and rough, fibrous or flaky bark and young stems that are covered with soft hairs. The leaves are elliptical to egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, mostly long and wide with a sharply-pointed tip and tapering to a short

petiole Petiole may refer to: *Petiole (botany), the stalk of a leaf, attaching the blade to the stem *Petiole (insect anatomy) In entomology, petiole is the technical term for the narrow waist of some hymenopteran insects, especially ants, bees, and ...

. The flowers are white, about wide and arranged singly on short side shoots. The floral cup is covered with soft hairs, about long tapering to a very 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

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 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...

s are also hairy, broadly egg-shaped, about long, the five petals long and the

stamen The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...

s long. Flowering mostly occurs from December to March and the fruit is a capsule about wide that remains on the plant at maturity.

Taxonomy and naming

''Leptospermum thompsonii'' was first formally described in 1989 by Joy Thompson in the journal '' Telopea'' from specimens collected by John Boorman in 1915. The

specific epithet In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...

(''thompsonii'') honours M.M.H. Thompson, the husband of the describing botanist, for his "assistance in the collection and field study of this and many other species".

Distribution and habitat

Monga tea-tree grows in permanently moist or wet habitats in forest and is known from populations in Monga National Park, Budawang National Park and Morton National Park.

Conservation status

This tea-tree is listed as "vulnerable" under the Australian Government ''

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 The ''Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999'' (Cth) is an Act of the Parliament of Australia that provides a framework for protection of the Australian environment, including its biodiversity and its natural and cult ...

'' and the New South Wales Government '' Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016''. The main threats to the species are altered fire regimes, forestry activities, rubbish dumping and oil spills.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15369241 Flora of New South Wales thompsonii Myrtales of Australia Plants described in 1989 Taxa named by Joy Thompson