Melaleuca cuticularis
Encyclopedia
Melaleuca cuticularis, or Saltwater Paperbark is a native tree of Western Australia
.
that typically grows to a height of 1 metres (3.3 ft) - 7 metres (23 ft) and is fairly dense.
The leaves
are linear to oblong, grey-green to dark green in colour and between 0.5 centimetre (0.196850393700787 in) and 1.2 centimetre (0.47244094488189 in) in length and 1.5 millimetre (0.0590551181102362 in) to 3 millimetre (0.118110236220472 in) in width. The stem
s and trunk of M. cuticularis are covered in a pale papery bark
and connect to rigid and torturous branches.
The flower
s are brush shaped, cream in colour and located at the terminus of the branches. M. cuticularis flowers in spring
between the months of September and January.
Fruit
s are woody and generally solitary with a star-like shape, they are 6 millimetre (0.236220472440945 in) to 11 millimetre (0.433070866141732 in) in width.
wetlands such as swamp
s and estuaries
. It is tolerant of both waterlogging
and the presence of salt
in the air and water.
The tree is native to Western Australia
and is located mostly in Coastal regions South of Perth
stretching to Israelite Bay.
This species is ideal for sand
y clay, loam
y clay and clay
soil
s and is commonly used for soil stabilisation and revegetation. It is also shade and drought
tolerant so can be used in hedges or windbreaks.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
Description
M. cuticularis is a treeTree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
that typically grows to a height of 1 metres (3.3 ft) - 7 metres (23 ft) and is fairly dense.
The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are linear to oblong, grey-green to dark green in colour and between 0.5 centimetre (0.196850393700787 in) and 1.2 centimetre (0.47244094488189 in) in length and 1.5 millimetre (0.0590551181102362 in) to 3 millimetre (0.118110236220472 in) in width. The stem
Plant stem
A stem is one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant. The stem is normally divided into nodes and internodes, the nodes hold buds which grow into one or more leaves, inflorescence , conifer cones, roots, other stems etc. The internodes distance one node from another...
s and trunk of M. cuticularis are covered in a pale papery bark
Bark
Bark is the outermost layers of stems and roots of woody plants. Plants with bark include trees, woody vines and shrubs. Bark refers to all the tissues outside of the vascular cambium and is a nontechnical term. It overlays the wood and consists of the inner bark and the outer bark. The inner...
and connect to rigid and torturous branches.
The flower
Flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants . The biological function of a flower is to effect reproduction, usually by providing a mechanism for the union of sperm with eggs...
s are brush shaped, cream in colour and located at the terminus of the branches. M. cuticularis flowers in spring
Spring (season)
Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and...
between the months of September and January.
Fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
s are woody and generally solitary with a star-like shape, they are 6 millimetre (0.236220472440945 in) to 11 millimetre (0.433070866141732 in) in width.
Distribution
M. cuticularis is able to grow in salineSaline water
Saline water is a general term for water that contains a significant concentration of dissolved salts . The concentration is usually expressed in parts per million of salt....
wetlands such as swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s and estuaries
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
. It is tolerant of both waterlogging
Waterlogging
Waterlogging or water logging may refer to:* Waterlogging , saturation of the soil by groundwater sufficient to prevent or hinder agriculture...
and the presence of salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
in the air and water.
The tree is native to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and is located mostly in Coastal regions South of Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
stretching to Israelite Bay.
This species is ideal for sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
y clay, loam
Loam
Loam is soil composed of sand, silt, and clay in relatively even concentration . Loam soils generally contain more nutrients and humus than sandy soils, have better infiltration and drainage than silty soils, and are easier to till than clay soils...
y clay and clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
s and is commonly used for soil stabilisation and revegetation. It is also shade and drought
Drought
A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region...
tolerant so can be used in hedges or windbreaks.