Leptospermum polygalifolium
{{Short description|Species of shrub}}
{{speciesbox
|name = Tantoon
|image = Leptospermum_polygalifolium_flowers_(6273629928).jpg
|image_caption =
|genus = Leptospermum
|species = polygalifolium
|authority = Salisb.{{cite web|title=Leptospermum polygalifolium|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/99912|publisher=Australian Plant Census|accessdate=22 May 2020}}
|synonyms =
{{collapsible list|bullets = true
| Leptospermum aquaticum Otto & A.Dietr. nom. inval., pro syn.
| Leptospermum buxifolium H.L.Wendl.
| Leptospermum flavescens f. microphyllum Siebert & Voss
| Leptospermum nervosum Otto & A.Dietr. nom. inval., pro syn.
| Leptospermum obtusum G.Don nom. inval., nom. nud.
| Leptospermum polygalaefolium Salisb. orth. var.
| Leptospermum retusum Otto & A.Dietr. nom. inval., pro syn.
| Leptospermum roseum Otto & A.Dietr. nom. inval., pro syn.
| Leptospermum stellatum Cav. p.p.
| Leptospermum stellatum Cav. f. stellatum p.p.
| Leptospermum stellatum Cav. var. stellatum p.p.
| Leptospermum stellatum var. typicum Hochr. nom. inval. p.p.
| Leptospermum thea (Schrad. & J.C.Wendl.) Willd.
| Melaleuca thea Schrad. & J.C.Wendl.
}}
}}
File:Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. transmontanum.jpg
File:Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. transmontanum habit.jpg]]
Leptospermum polygalifolium, commonly known as tantoon, jellybush{{cite web |title=Leptospermum polygalifolium Salisb. |url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Leptospermum~polygalifolium |publisher=Royal Botanic Garden Sydney |accessdate=22 May 2020}} or yellow tea tree,{{cite web |title=Leptospermum polygalifolium |url=https://anpsa.org.au/plant_profiles/leptospermum-polygalifolium/ |publisher=Australian Native Plant Society (Australia) |accessdate=4 December 2023}} is a species of shrub or tree of the family Myrtaceae that is endemic to eastern Australia, including Lord Howe Island. It has thin bark, elliptical leaves, white flowers arranged singly on short side shoots and fruit that remain on the plant for a few years.
Description
Leptospermum polygalifolium is a shrub that typically grows to a height of {{cvt|0.5–3|m}} or a tree to {{cvt|7|m}} or more, with thin bark but that is thick and flaky in larger specimens. Younger stems are covered with short hairs at first and have a conspicuous flange near the leaf bases. The flowers are white, greenish, cream-coloured or sometimes pink, mostly {{cvt|10–15|mm}} in diameter and are arranged singly on short side shoots. There are dark reddish-brown bracts and similar bracteoles at the base of the young flower buds but that are shed as the bud develops. The floral cup is usually glabrous, {{cvt|2–4|mm}} long, tapering to a pedicel about {{cvt|1|mm}} long. The sepals are broadly egg-shaped to oblong, {{cvt|1.5–2.5|mm}} long and are lost before the fruit develops. The petals are {{cvt|4–6|mm}} long and the stamens {{cvt|2.5–4|mm}} long. Flowering mainly occurs from August to January and the fruit is a capsule about {{cvt|5–8|mm}} in diameter that remains on the plant for a few years.{{cite journal |last1=Thompson |first1=Joy |title=A revision of the genus Leptospermum (Myrtaceae) |journal=Telopea |date=1989 |volume=3 |issue=3 |pages=398–402}}
Taxonomy and naming
Leptospermum polygalifolium was first described by Richard Salisbury in 1797 from a specimen collected in Port Jackson. The description was published in Salisbury's book, Prodromus Stirpium in Horto ad Chapel Allerton Vigentium.{{cite web|title=Leptospermum polygalifolium|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/526631|publisher=APNI|accessdate=23 May 2020}}{{cite book |last1=Salisbury |first1=Richard A. |title=Prodromus Stirpium in Horto ad Chapel Allerton Vigentium |date=1796 |location=London |page=350 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/9522#page/357/mode/1up |accessdate=23 May 2020}} The specific epithet (polygalifolium) is a reference to the genus Polygala, with the ending -folium from the Latin -folius meaning "-leaved".{{cite book |author=William T. Stearn |author-link=William T. Stearn |title=Botanical Latin. History, grammar, syntax, terminology and vocabulary |date=1992 |publisher=Timber Press |location=Portland, Oregon |edition=4th|page=414}}
=Subspecies=
In 1989, Joy Thompson described six subspecies and the names are accepted by the Australian Plant Census:
- Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. cismontanum Joy Thomps.{{cite web|title=Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. cismontanum|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/99926|publisher=Australian Plant Census|accessdate=23 May 2020}} has leaves {{cvt|8–10|mm}} x {{cvt|2|mm}} that tend to have edges turned under, white flowers about {{cvt|10|mm}} wide, fruit {{cvt|5–7|mm}} wide and occurs from Fraser Island to Gosford.
- Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. howense Joy Thomps.{{cite web|title=Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. howense|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/99990|publisher=Australian Plant Census|accessdate=23 May 2020}} has leaves {{cvt|5–8|mm}} long, white flowers about {{cvt|15|mm}} in diameter and fruit {{cvt|5–8|mm}} in diameter and is endemism to Lord Howe Island.
- Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. montanum Joy Thomps.{{cite web|title=Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. montanum|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/100017|publisher=Australian Plant Census|accessdate=23 May 2020}} has leaves {{cvt|10–15|mm}} x {{cvt|3–5|mm}} that tend to have edges turned under, white flowers about {{cvt|12|mm}} wide, fruit {{cvt|6–9|mm}} wide and occurs in montane eastern Australia from Southeast Queensland to Barrington Tops.
- Leptospermum polygalifolium Salisb. subsp. polygalifolium{{cite web|title=Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. polygalifolium|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/100049|publisher=Australian Plant Census|accessdate=23 May 2020}} has leaves {{cvt|10–20|mm}} x {{cvt|2–3|mm}} that tend to have edges turned under, greenish or creamy-white flowers about {{cvt|12|mm}} wide, fruit {{cvt|6–10|mm}} wide and occurs from central eastern New South Wales to the southern border with Victoria.
- Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. transmontanum Joy Thomps.{{cite web|title=Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. transmontanum|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/100079|publisher=Australian Plant Census|accessdate=23 May 2020}} has leaves {{cvt|10–15|mm}} x {{cvt|2|mm}} that are flat and stiff, white flowers {{cvt|10–12|mm}} wide, fruit {{cvt|6–7|mm}} wide and occurs from the White Mountains in Queensland to the Hunter River in New South Wales.
- Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. tropicum Joy Thomps.{{cite web|title=Leptospermum polygalifolium subsp. tropicum|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/100085|publisher=Australian Plant Census|accessdate=23 May 2020}} has leaves {{cvt|5–20|mm}} x {{cvt|1–1.5|mm}} and occurs from Cooktown to Keppel Bay in Queensland.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q4460549}}
Category:Myrtales of Australia
Category:Flora of New South Wales