Melaleuca pulchella

Melaleuca pulchella
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Genus:	Melaleuca
Species:	M. pulchella
Binomial name
Melaleuca pulchella R.Br.

Melaleuca pulchella, commonly known as the claw flower, is a woody shrub of the Myrtaceae family native to Western Australia. It is one of the many species described by the botanist Robert Brown.

Growing as a spreading shrub, Melaleuca pulchella may grow anywhere from 30 cm to 1.7 m (or rarely 3 m) high.^[1] The numerous arching branches bear many small leaves which are ovate to elliptic in shape and measure 0.2-0.6 cm in length by 0.1-0.3 cm wide. The leaf undersides have large oil glands. Appearing from spring (October) to autumn, the flowers are pink to mauve in colour with purple sepals. Hooked, the flowers are claw-like in appearance. Flowering is followed by smal urn-shaped seed pods about 0.6 cm in diameter.^[2]

Melaleuca pulchella was first described in print by W. H. Aiton in 1812 in Hortus Kewensis.^[3] Its species name is the Latin adjective pulchellus "very pretty" (diminutive of pulcher).^[4] Common names include claw flower,^[3] and claw honey myrtle.^[5]

The range is along Western Australia's south coast, from Hopetoun to Israelite Bay. It grows in heathland in sandy areas, often with a high water table and inundation in wet periods.^[2] Species of native bee, including Exoneura nigrescens and E. pictifrons, and halictid bee Lipotriches australica have been recorded visiting the flowerheads of Isopogon trilobus.^[6]

Melaleuca pulchella 's small size, long flowering period, and flowers make it an attractive plant for gardens. It prefers fair drainage and extra water.^[2] Unlike many Australian native plants, it is relatively tolerant of phosphates to some degree in cultivation.^[7]

References

1. ^ "Melaleuca pulchella". FloraBase. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia. http://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/5955. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Holliday, Ivan (2004) [1989]. Melaleucas: A Field and Garden Guide (2 ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Reed New Holland. pp. 230–31. ISBN 1-876334-98-3. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Melaleuca pulchella R.Br.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. http://www.anbg.gov.au/cgi-bin/apni?taxon_id=57031. 
4. ^ Simpson DP (1979). Cassell's Latin Dictionary (5 ed.). London: Cassell Ltd.. p. 487. ISBN 0-304-52257-0. 
5. ^ Walter Von Erhardt, Erich Götz, Allen J. Coombes, Nils Bödeker, Siegmund Seybold. The Timber Press Dictionary of Plant Names. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press. p. 490. ISBN 1604691158. 
6. ^ "Plant Search Taxon: Melaleuca pulchella". Bioinformatics. Melbourne: Museum Victoria. http://flyaqis.museum.vic.gov.au/cgi-bin/texhtml. Retrieved 12 November 2010. 
7. ^ Lullfitz, George. A new image for West Australian plants. p. 46. ISBN 095813460X.