Paperbarked bottlebrush| callistemon vs melaleuca| careful out there

Eric Frei · 26th June 2011, 07:06 PM

This post I can verify as I was in the botanical gardens today and all bottle brushes are now Melaleuca's not Callistemons.

Quote:

Originally Posted by liss

apparently callistemons have been put into the species melaleuca
as botanists say differences are too minor to warrant them being kept distinct
Queensland herbarium has accepted this change
Just to keep us on our toes!

But here is a tricky tree to ID, you'd think this was a paperbark first off the bat, lucky it was in flower.

Now here's a piece about the differences between the old Callistemon and Melaleuca. I also added it as a PDF.

ANPSA Plant Guide: Melaleuca and Callistemon: Why are they Different?

Quote:

So what makes Melaleuca and Callistemon different?

The main difference has to do with the way in which the stamens (the male parts of the flowers) join to the floral tube. Figure 1 shows a cross section of a single Callistemon flower. This shows that each stamen joins the floral tube independently of every other stamen (this is referred to as the stamens being "free").

In Figure 2, however, which is a cross section of a single Melaleuca flower, the stamens are joined together into groups with each group joining the floral tube as a unit (this is referred to as the stamens being "united"). Each Melaleuca flower contains five of these groups or "staminal bundles".

So I had to get a closer look, and like I said lucky there was flowers around. Also pay attention to the leaf venation.

So I am pretty sure that it is not a paperbark but a callistemon, well it's a Melaleuca ssp now anyways.

But I also managed to find a flowering paperbark to compare it to. Have a look and pay attention to leaf venation. Paperbarks tend to have longitudinal veins, look to the left of my thumb.

So I reckon the tree is a Callistemon salignus or now a Melaleuca salignus or white bottlebrush. What do you reckon?

Paul Toivonen · 23rd November 2011, 06:58 AM

Well, I think it is about time the "boffins" got something right.
I always preffered them as Melaleucas.

Paul Goodall · 6th February 2012, 03:15 PM

I have what I believe is the same tree here at home. Will have to get some pics next time it's in flower.

23rd November 2011, 06:58 AM	#2
Paul Toivonen Semi-mature vigorous tree Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: AUS Posts: 134	Re: Paperbarked bottlebrush\| callistemon vs melaleuca\| careful out there Well, I think it is about time the "boffins" got something right. I always preffered them as Melaleucas.

6th February 2012, 03:15 PM	#3
Paul Goodall Sappling Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Toowoomba QLD Posts: 35	Re: Paperbarked bottlebrush\| callistemon vs melaleuca\| careful out there I have what I believe is the same tree here at home. Will have to get some pics next time it's in flower.

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