Melaleuca quinquenervia
Melaleuca quinquenervia
Melaleuca quinquenervia ( also referred to as " niaouli " ) is a plant of the genus Myrtenheiden ( Melaleuca ). It is native to Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia, but is also cultivated outside this area. It belongs to the group of species of Melaleuca leucadendron.
Description
Melaleuca quinquenervia is reached breast height diameter of 60 to 100 centimeters in an evergreen tree, the growth heights of up to 25 (up to 31 ) meters and its slender stem. In Stand Clear of the tree remains small, reaches a height of 6 to 16 meters with short often twisted trunk and a narrow crown. It is particularly striking that. Well as for other kinds of tea trees, characteristic korkige, whitish bark, which is up to 7.5 inches thick It consists of numerous paper-thin layers of which the outer irregular replace.
The roundish to cylindrical buds are 3-6 mm long and greenish- brown color. The alternate arranged leaves are finely hairy and lanceolate to elliptical shape. At the top they are bald and gray-green color of a stronger than at the often weak hairy underside. The leaves have five, rarely seven emanating from the base leaf veins. The leaves are 4-9 cm long and 6-24 mm wide. The short, light green petiole is about 3 millimeters long. When rubbed, the leaves smell strongly aromatic. The released from the leaves and fruits substances can cause human respiratory tract irritation.
The flowers are in groups of three closely spaced at 3-8 inches long and 2.5 to 4 centimeters in diameter inflorescences. The sessile, hermaphrodite flowers have a diameter of about 1.6 centimeters. The petals are white. The nectar glands are clearly visible. Pollination is by insects.
There are numerous sessile, gray-brown, woody 3 millimeters long and 4.5 millimeters wide formed capsule fruits. They contain 200 to 350 tiny, brown seeds with a thousand seed weight of 0.03 grams. The seeds can remain for up to ten years in the capsules that open at maturity by three or four slots. The seeds are only released upon interruption of the water supply, so in case of fire, frost or injury and spread by wind and water. Germination is epigeal.
Even under natural conditions takes place vegetative propagation by coppice on wet sites can even the crowns of fallen trees take root.
Occurrence
Melaleuca quinquenervia is in the east of Australia, native to New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea. They are also found in Burma, Malaysia and the Moluccas. Outside of the natural resources the way in the south of Florida and Hawaii has a strong presence, more deposits can be found in Southern California, Texas, to the Caribbean, India and the Philippines. In all these areas the species is wild from culture.
It is planted because of their modesty and a certain decorative value outside the region of origin as ornamental plant or used for drainage vernässter sites. They often feral, so in several states of the USA. Especially in Florida it is now regarded as an unwanted intruder and there now covered an area of 170,000 hectares.
Melaleuca quinquenervia is a frugal way that is dependent on moist to wet sites. You can also handle temporary flooding or ground fire and tolerates salt spray and brackish water. It provides no special soil requirements and growing in Hawaii on acidic basaltic ash and volcanic soil, but is also used for afforestation alkaline or versalzener sites.
Use
This type is used for the provision of shelterbelts hedges near the coast or for afforestation alkaline problem locations. The wood is used for boat and house building, but also for railway sleepers, floors or as fuel. The bark is used for packaging especially from fruits such as grapes. From leaves and branches of an oil can be obtained which used in the preparation of perfume was used and has insecticidal activity. Also folk medicine applications are known.
Taxonomy
Melaleuca quinquenervia was summed up in 1968 with nine other taxa under the name Melaleuca leucodendron.