Melaleuca pyramidalis
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{speciesbox
|image = Melaleuca pyramidalis (habit).JPG
|image_caption = M. pyramidalis on Walshs Pyramid
|status =
|status_system =
|genus = Melaleuca
|species = pyramidalis
|authority = Craven{{cite web |title=Melaleuca pyramidalis |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77105482-1 |publisher=Plants of the World Online |access-date=5 September 2021}}
|synonyms = Callistemon pyramidalis (Craven) Udovicic & R.D.Spencer
}}
Melaleuca pyramidalis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to small areas of Queensland in Australia. (Some Australian state herbaria use the name Callistemon pyramidalis.{{cite journal|last1=Udovicic|first1=Frank|last2=Spencer|first2=Roger|title=New combinations in Callistemon (Myrtaceae)|journal=Muelleria|date=2012|volume=30|issue=1|pages=23–25|doi=10.5962/p.292240 |s2cid=251007557 |url=http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/documents/Muelleria_30-1_3_Udovicic_Spencer.pdf|accessdate=31 May 2015}}) It is closely related to Melaleuca citrina (Callistemon citrinus) but is distinguished from it mainly by leaf and stamen differences. Melaleuca pyramidalis is only known from the summits of three mountains in Queensland.
Description
Melaleuca pyramidalis is a shrub growing to {{convert|3.5|m|ft|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} tall with compact, dark grey, papery bark. Its leaves are arranged alternately and are {{convert|29-84|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long, {{convert|8-24|mm|in|sigfig=2|abbr=on}} wide, flat, elliptical in shape with a short stalk. The veins are pinnate and there are only a few scattered, indistinct oil glands.{{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|location=Canberra|isbn=9781922137517|page=299}}{{cite journal|last1=Craven|first1=Lyn A.|title=Melaleuca (Myrtaceae) from Australia|journal=Novon|date=2009|volume=19|issue=4|pages=448–449|url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/124658#page/456/mode/1up|accessdate=1 June 2015|doi=10.3417/2007137|s2cid=84165613 }}
The flowers are red to pink, arranged in spikes up to {{convert|60|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} in diameter with 20 to 50 individual flowers. The petals are {{convert|2.8-6.3|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long and fall off as the flower ages and there are 35 to 42 stamens in each flower. Flowering occurs in late winter and is followed by fruit that are woody capsules, {{convert|3.8-5|mm|in|sigfig=1|abbr=on}} long in loose clusters along the stem.
M. pyramidalis can be distinguished from the similar M. citrina by its obscure oil glands (prominent in M. citrina) and yellow stamen tips (dark red in M.citrina).
File:Melaleuca pyramidalis (flowers) 01.JPG
Taxonomy and naming
Melaleuca pyramidalis was first formally described in 2009 by Lyndley Craven in Novon from a specimen collected at the summit of Walshs Pyramid near Gordonvale.{{cite web|title=Melaleuca pyramidalis|url= https://biodiversity.org.au/boa/instance/apni/653271|publisher=APNI|accessdate=1 June 2015}} In 2012, Udovicic and Spencer gave the species the name Callistemon pyramidalis but in 2013, Craven transferred all species previously known as Callistemon to Melaleuca. Some authorities continue to use Callistemon pyramidalis. The specific epithet (pyramidalis) refers to Walshs Pyramid where the type specimen was collected.
Callistemon pyramidalis is regarded as a synonym of Melaleuca pyramidalis by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.{{WCSP | 471977 | Callistemon pyramidalis }}
Distribution and habitat
Melaleuca pyramidalis occurs on the summits of Walshs Pyramid, Mount Diamantina (on Hinchinbrook Island) and Mount Leach (near Ingham). It grows mostly in open forest on rocky hilltops.