Melaleuca hypericifolia

Melaleuca hypericifolia is a large woody shrub or small tree growing to {{convert|6|m|ft|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} in height, with greyish papery bark. Its leaves are arranged in alternate pairs (decussate), {{convert|10-40|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|4-10|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} wide, narrow elliptic in shape with a central groove on the upper surface.{{cite book|last1=Brophy|first1=Joseph J.|last2=Craven|first2=Lyndley A.|last3=Doran|first3=John C.|title=Melaleucas : their botany, essential oils and uses|date=2013|publisher=Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research|page=201|location=Canberra|isbn=9781922137517}}{{cite book|last1=Holliday|first1=Ivan|title=Melaleucas : a field and garden guide|date=2004|publisher=Reed New Holland Publishers|location=Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.|isbn=1876334983|pages=144–145|edition=2nd}}{{cite web |url=http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Melaleuca~hypericifolia |title=Melaleuca hypericifolia |access-date=12 May 2015 |author=Wilson, Peter G.|work= PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain}}

The flowers are red to orange, arranged in a spike, usually on the older wood. The spike is up to {{convert|60|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} in both diameter and length and contains up to 40 individual flowers. The petals are {{convert|4.5-7|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and fall off as the flower ages. The stamens are arranged in five bundles around the flower with 16 to 25 stamens per bundle. The flower spikes appear in spring and summer and are followed by fruit which are woody, oval-shaped capsules {{convert|5-6.5|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long with the sepals remaining as teeth around the rim. As the plant ages, the capsules become compressed together.File:Melaleuca hypericifolia fruit.jpg

The species was first formally described by English botanist James Edward Smith in 1797 in Transactions of the Linnean Society of London from material collected in "swampy ground" in New South Wales.{{cite web|title=Melaleuca hypericifolia|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/boa/instance/apni/512712|publisher=APNI|access-date=23 July 2015}}{{cite journal|last1=Smith|first1=James Edward|title=Botanical Characters of Some Plants of the Natural Order of Myrti.|journal=Transactions of the Linnean Society of London|date=1797|volume=3|page=279|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/13713#page/305/mode/1up|access-date=12 May 2015}} The species name references the similarity of the leaves to those of species of Hypericum.{{cite book|author=Robinson, Les|title=Field guide to the native plants of Sydney|publisher=Kangaroo Press|isbn=9780731812110}}

Melaleuca hypericifolia occurs in damp areas of sandy heath and woodland in mostly coastal areas from Bermagui to Sydney and inland as far as the Blue Mountains. The species is naturalised in South Australia and Victoria.

Hillock bush is a hardy, adaptable and attractive shrub that has been known in gardens for many years. It is moderately frost hardy, although the flowers tend to be hidden inside the shrub. It is a dense screen plant, unless pruned to display the flowers.{{cite book|last1=Wrigley|first1=John W.|last2=Fagg|first2=Murray|title=Australian native plants : a manual for their propagation, cultivation and use in landscaping|date=1983|publisher=Collins|location=Sydney|isbn=0002165759|edition=2}} It has caused problems in some areas where it has spread from gardens into bushland in other states and care should be taken with the species in southern Victoria.{{cite web|title=Melaleuca hypericifolia|url=http://anpsa.org.au/m-hyp.html|publisher=Australian Native Plant Society (Australia)|access-date=12 May 2015}} Two cultivars have been developed:

• M. hypericifolia 'Snapper Point'{{cite web|title=Melaleuca hypericifolia ‘Snapper Point’|url=https://biodiversity.org.au/boa/name/apni/201913|publisher=APNI|access-date=12 May 2015}}
• M. hypericifolia 'Ulladulla Beacon'{{cite web|title=Melaleuca hypericifolia ‘Ulladulla Beacon’|url=https://biodiversity.org.au/boa/instance/apni/595261|publisher=APNI|access-date=12 May 2015}}

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Category:Flora of New South Wales

hypericifolia

Category:Myrtales of Australia

Category:Plants described in 1797