Plantsnap – Identify Plants, Trees, Mushrooms With An App

Tinaroo bottlebrush (Callistemon recurvus)

Description

Melaleuca recurva is a shrub or small tree growing to 7 m (20 ft) high with hard, fibrous bark. Its leaves are arranged alternately and are 15–55 mm (0.6–2 in) long, 2–9 mm (0.08–0.4 in) wide, flat and narrow egg-shaped with the end tapering to a point. The leaves have indistinct veins and randomly distributed oil glands. The young leaves and branches have fine, silky hairs pressed against their surfaces The flowers are bright red tipped with yellow and are arranged in spikes on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering, sometimes also in the upper leaf axils. The spikes are 35–50 mm (1–2 in) in diameter. The petals are 2.5–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long, fall off as the flower ages and there are 26-36 stamens in each flower. Flowering occurs throughout the year but mainly in the cooler months and is followed by fruits which are woody capsules, 4.6–6.5 mm (0.2–0.3 in) long.

Taxonomic tree

  • Domain: Eukarya

    • Kingdom: Plantae

      • Phylum:

        • Class: Magnoliopsida

          • Order: Myrtales

            • Family: Myrtaceae

              • Genus: Callistemon