Regelia
Encyclopedia
Regelia is a genus of flowering plant
s in the family Myrtaceae
. This genus is composed of six species
of small leaved, evergreen
shrubs and trees that are endemic to Australia
. Five of the six species are endemic to the south-west of Western Australia
. The sixth species that has been assigned to this genus (R. punicea) is endemic to Kakadu National Park
in the Northern Territory
and is now considered to belong to a new separate genus, Petraeomyrtus. Regelia species range from 1 to 6 meters in height. They are noted for bearing essential oils. Typically showy blooms are aggregate inflorescences which take the form of heads or spikes depending upon the species. Fruits are a woody, 3-valved capsule which often split upon maturity.
in 1843 who gave it the name Regelia in honour of German
gardener and botanist Eduard August von Regel
.
Regelia is closely related to Melaleuca
; both have stamen
s which are fused into clusters. The primary difference between the genera is that in Regelia the anthers are attached at the base and in Melaleuca they are attached at the side. These genera are also closely related to Beaufortia, Calothamnus
and Eremaea
.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in the family Myrtaceae
Myrtaceae
The Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...
. This genus is composed of six species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of small leaved, evergreen
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
shrubs and trees that are endemic to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Five of the six species are endemic to the south-west of 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...
. The sixth species that has been assigned to this genus (R. punicea) is endemic to Kakadu National Park
Kakadu National Park
Kakadu National Park is in the Northern Territory of Australia, 171 km southeast of Darwin.Kakadu National Park is located within the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory of Australia. It covers an area of , extending nearly 200 kilometres from north to south and over 100 kilometres...
in the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
and is now considered to belong to a new separate genus, Petraeomyrtus. Regelia species range from 1 to 6 meters in height. They are noted for bearing essential oils. Typically showy blooms are aggregate inflorescences which take the form of heads or spikes depending upon the species. Fruits are a woody, 3-valved capsule which often split upon maturity.
Etymology and taxonomy
The genus was first formally described by J.C.SchauerJohannes Conrad Schauer
Johannes Conrad Schauer was a botanist interested in Spermatophytes. He was a professor of botany at the University of Greifswald. Amongst his published works are descriptions of the myrtles of Western Australia.-References:...
in 1843 who gave it the name Regelia in honour of German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
gardener and botanist Eduard August von Regel
Eduard August von Regel
Eduard August von Regel was a German horticulturalist and botanist. He ended his career serving as the Director of the Russian Imperial Botanical Garden of St. Petersburg...
.
Regelia is closely related to Melaleuca
Melaleuca
Melaleuca is a genus of plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae known for its natural soothing and cleansing properties. There are well over 200 recognised species, most of which are endemic to Australia...
; both have stamen
Stamen
The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...
s which are fused into clusters. The primary difference between the genera is that in Regelia the anthers are attached at the base and in Melaleuca they are attached at the side. These genera are also closely related to Beaufortia, Calothamnus
Calothamnus
Calothamnus is a genus of shrubs, in the family Myrtaceae, which are endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. The name Calothamnus, ascribed to the genus by botanist Robert Brown, is derived from the Greek words kalos and thamnos .Species include:*Calothamnus accedens Hawkeswood...
and Eremaea
Eremaea (plant)
Eremaea is a genus of shrubs in the family Myrtaceae. The species are all native to Western Australia. These include:* Eremaea acutifolia F.Muell...
.
Species
There are currently six recognized species of Regelia. All are endemic to small geographic regions in southwestern or north-central Australia.- Regelia ciliata Schauer is a rigid spreading shrubShrubA shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
which grows 1.3 m to 1.5 m across. It has tiny wedge shaped leaves, and paper-like bark on the stems. - Regelia cymbifolia (Diels) C.A.Gardner is a much branched, upright shrub of about 2 meters in height, and bearing tiny wedge shaped leaves. It blooms in the spring, producing clusters of many small heads.
- Regelia inops (Schauer) Schauer is an upright but often spreading shrub which can grow to 0.75–2.5 m and has tiny wedge shaped leaves.
- Regelia megacephala C.A.Gardner is a rare, 2-5 meter tall shrub, which has larger (but still small) rounded leaves.
- Regelia velutina (Turcz.) C.A.Gardner (Barrens regelia) is the showiest and largest member of the genus. It is a large shrub or small treeTreeA 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...
which can grow up to 6 meters. It is noted for growing on very poor dry soils and having large flower heads. - Regelia punicea (N.Byrnes) Barlow is found in the Northern Territory. This species was reassigned from genus Melaleuca in 1986 but subsequently was proposed as a member of a new separate genus, Petraeomyrtus, within which its species name is Petraeomyrtus punicea (Byrnes) Craven.