Leptospermum rupestre

Leptospermum rupestre, commonly known as alpine tea-tree or prostrate tea-tree,^[3] is a flowering shrub in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. It is endemic to Tasmania. In alpine areas it assumes a prostrate habit while in subalpine areas it appears as a large shrub.

Leptospermum rupestre
Leptospermum rupestre, Walls of Jerusalem National Park
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Myrtales
Family:	Myrtaceae
Genus:	Leptospermum
Species:	L. rupestre
Binomial name
Leptospermum rupestre Hook.f.[1]
Leptospermum rupestre is endemic to Tasmania[2]
Synonyms[2]
Leptospermum grandifolium var. compactum Miq. Leptospermum scoparium var. microphyllum S.Schauer

Description

Leptospermum rupestre is a common alpine and subalpine shrub in Tasmania. The growth habit varies, at higher exposed altitudes it is a prostrate plant up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) high. At lower altitudes it can become a large shrub to 4 m (13 ft) high. It has small, blunt, shiny dark green, oval to elliptic shaped leaves, 2–9 mm (0.079–0.354 in) long. The white flowers are small 1 cm (0.39 in) wide, 5 petalled, with an open habit and flower in profusion in leaf axils during summer. The reddish branches become mat-forming over rocks. The small seed capsules are about 5 mm (0.20 in) in diameter.^[4][5][6]

Taxonomy and naming

Leptospermum rupestre was first formally described in 1840 by botanist Joseph Dalton Hooker and the description was published in Icones Plantarum.^[7][8] Robert Brown observed it growing on rocky outcrops on Mount Wellington and nearby mountains. The word rupestre is derived from the Latin word rupestris,^[9] meaning rocky, referring to the habitat where it was found.^[7]

Distribution and habitat

This species is endemic to Tasmania, found growing in a sunny situation on light to medium soils.^[3]

Cultivation

It is one of the hardiest species of its genus and is suitable for cultivation outdoors.^[10]