Baeckea frutescens
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{speciesbox
|name =
|image = Baeck frutes 130710-0575 blt.JPG
|image_caption = In Belitung, Sumatra
|genus = Baeckea
|species = frutescens
|authority = L.{{cite web |title=Baeckea frutescens |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:591083-1#synonyms |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=18 January 2022}}
|synonyms = {{collapsible list|
- Baeckea chinensis Gaertn.
- Baeckea cochinchinensis Blume
- Baeckea cumingiana S.Schauer
- Baeckea ericoides Schltdl.
- Baeckea sinensis Gaertn.
- Baeckea stenophylla F.Muell.
- Baeckea sumatrana Blume
- Drosodendron rosmarinus (Lour.) M.Roem.
- Neuhofia rosmarinifolia Stokes
}}
}}
Baeckea frutescens is a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae and is native to eastern Southeast Asia, New Guinea and Australia. It is a shrub with arching branches, linear leaves and white flowers with seven to thirteen stamens.
Description
Baeckea frutescens is a shrub that typically grows to a height of up to {{cvt|1|m}} and has arching branches. Its leaves are linear and often clustered on short side-branches, {{cvt|4–10|mm}} long and about {{cvt|0.5|mm}} wide on a petiole {{cvt|0.5–0.6|mm}} long. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils and are {{cvt|3.5–5|mm}} wide on a pedicel {{cvt|1–2|mm}} long. The five sepals are rounded-triangular, the five petals white, more or less round and {{cvt|1.0–1.5|mm}} long, and there are seven to thirteen stamens. Flowering mainly occurs in summer and the fruit is a capsule about {{cvt|2|mm}} in diameter.{{cite web |last1=Wilson |first1=Peter G. |title=Baeckea frutescens |url=https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Baeckea~frutescens |publisher=Royal Botanic Garden Sydney |access-date=18 January 2022}}{{cite web |title=Baeckea frutescens |url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200014757 |publisher=Flora of China |access-date=18 January 2022}}{{cite journal |last1=Bean |first1=Anthony R. |title=A revision of Baeckea (Myrtaceae) in eastern Australia, Malesia and south-east Asia. |journal=Telopea |date=1997 |volume=7 |issue=3 |pages=247–250 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/57839580#page/75/mode/1up |access-date=19 May 2023}}
Taxonomy
Baeckea frutescens was first formally described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum.{{cite web|title=Baeckea frutescens|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/533286|publisher=APNI|access-date=18 January 2022}}{{cite book |last1=Linnaeus |first1=Carl |title=Species Plantarum |date=1753 |pages=358–359 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/84235#page/372/mode/1up |access-date=18 January 2022}} The specific epithet (frutescens) means "becoming bushy or shrubby".{{cite book |last1=Sharr |first1=Francis Aubi |last2=George |first2=Alex |title=Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings |date=2019 |publisher=Four Gables Press |location=Kardinya, WA |isbn=9780958034180 |page=202 |edition=3rd}}
Distribution and habitat
This baeckea grows in heath and open grassland from south-east China to eastern Australia. In Australia it grows in near-coastal areas as far south as Port Macquarie.
Use in horticulture
This species' tiny leaves and branches make it a popular subject of bonsai.{{cite news |author1=Tan Cheng Li |date=3 May 2016 |title=Unique plants in a scanty forest |url=https://www.forestry.gov.my/images/keratan_akhbar/2016/new-pdf/THE-STAR-03.05.2016-2.-.pdf |department=Star2 |newspaper=The Star |page=5 |access-date=19 May 2023 |via=Forestry Department Peninsular Malaysia}}
References
{{Reflist}}
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Category:Flora of New South Wales