Melaleuca decussata

Cross-leaf Honey-myrtle or Totem Poles at Chisholm, ACT

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Identification history

Melaleuca decussata	16 Apr 2015	MichaelMulvaney
Melaleuca decussata	30 Mar 2015	RussellB
Unidentified	18 Nov 2014	michaelb

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Significant sighting

michaelb noted:

9 Dec 2015

The sighting is of note because it is the first reported occurrence of this non-local native species as a wild plant in the ACT.

User's notes

Identification confirmed by David Albrecht at the ANBG with a specimen, 9 Dec 2015.

13 comments

michaelb wrote:

18 Nov 2014

A Melaleuca species.

galah681 wrote:

19 Nov 2014

Could be the pink version of melaleuca amillaris which is currently flowering (in my garden) and not native to NSW or ACT (so may be a garden escape) or possibly melaleuca parvistaminea which is described as being sometimes pink tinged.

michaelb wrote:

19 Nov 2014

The leaves are different to the Melaleuca parvistaminea I saw before, so I thought it would be a different species.

RussellB wrote:

24 Mar 2015

The fruit enclosed in woody pith is likely to be diagnostic, but not a species I am familiar with - probably introduced.

RussellB wrote:

30 Mar 2015

This looks like a good match for M. decussata, a species native to Victoria & adjacent South Australia, but widely planted in SE Australia.

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

17 Apr 2015

Michael if you find time can you make a specimen collation of this plant for the CSIRO herbarium, and make a comment whether you think it has self seeded or was planted Cheers Michael

michaelb wrote:

17 Apr 2015

Hi Michael. I can do that. Can you please explain why? Shall I wait until Spring when it is in flower?

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

17 Apr 2015

Thanks, collecting when it is in flower would be best. For two reasons if it is M. decussata then this is the first record of it becoming naturalised in the ACT, which may be of importance in the future if it becomes a significant weed and secondly the location of this record places a little bit of doubt as to how a South Australian plant got there and the collection provides a further check that the ID is correct and this is not a significant local plant.

michaelb wrote:

12 Nov 2015

Hi Michael. I have collected a specimen as requested. This is quite a mature shrub. I also found a couple of other younger plants a few hundred yards away. What do I do next?

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

12 Nov 2015

Michael can you take the specimen to David Albrecht at the CSIRO herbarium within the Black Mountain complex. If that is difficult let me know and I will come and pick up the specimen to deliver to David.

michaelb wrote:

13 Nov 2015

Thanks again Michael, but I'll be ok. I spoke(email) to David Albrecht re the Carex polyantha, and he said to drop it in at the ANBG visitors front desk. So I'll deliver this one too, next time I go uptown.

michaelb wrote:

10 Dec 2015

Hi Michael M. The identification was confirmed by David Albrecht who was happy to have the specimen for their records.

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

10 Dec 2015

Thanks Michael - thisis the first naturalised record of this plant in the ACT

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