Callistemon sieberi

River Bottlebrush at Kowen, ACT

Request use of media

Identification history

	Callistemon sieberi	14 Oct 2019	BettyDonWood
	Callistemon sieberi	13 Oct 2019	JaneR

Identify this sighting

Please Login or Register to identify this sighting.

5 comments

BettyDonWood wrote:

14 Oct 2019

I am confirming this because it is on the Molonglo River. You really need to have a photo of it in flower to be certain. The other native Callistemon in the ACT (pityoides) is at higher altitudes, as far as I know.

JaneR wrote:

15 Oct 2019

Plus, capsules of C. sieberi and C. pityoides are different shapes, being urn-cup v globular respectively (although capsule shape doesn't seem to be used as a diagnostic in keys).

BettyDonWood wrote:

15 Oct 2019

I can’t see much difference in shape of capsules in the photos I have seen of pityoides eg

Callistemon pityoides (Alpine Bottlebrush) on 26 Nov 2018

JaneR wrote:

15 Oct 2019

the difference is more obvious in the second image: pityoides being rounded with small opening, much less than capsule diameter

Callistemon pityoides (Alpine Bottlebrush) on 26 Nov 2018
https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/21bba97a-9ac0-41ae-8a9f-a893238ad324#&gid=1&pid=3

sieberi being more cup/urn shaped, with opening about same size as capsule diameter
https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/2c525e69-b943-40a1-b672-fd9c3a8fbf45

Callistemon sieberi (River Bottlebrush) on 23 Jul 2017

I just noticed that leaves of pityoides verge on being terete, whereas leaves of sieberi are distinctly flattened

BettyDonWood wrote:

15 Oct 2019

I have always thought that Myrtaceae capsules with small openings are immature. The measurements for length and width are about the same in the two species, according to Plantnet and Vicflora.
You are right about the leaves. What you say fits with the Vicflora description.

Please Login or Register to comment.