Needle Bottlebrush
Flower
Murray Mallee Region
Fringe-myrtle
Leaves
 
                      
Fringe-myrtle (Calytrix tetragona)Class: Plants (Plantae) - Land Plants (Charophyta) - Land Plants (Equisetopsida) - Shrubs & Bushes
Order: Myrtles (Myrtales)
Family: Myrtle (Myrtaceae)     iNaturalist Observation
Species: Fringe-myrtle (Calytrix tetragona)
This Photo:     🔍Whole🔎

Thank you BaronSamedi for confirming the id of this species for us

General Species Information:
Found in the Murray Mallee SA, Adelaide Hills, Flinders Ranges, Coastal Areas and possibly elsewhere
They have very distinctive sepals with long strands. Looking at the buds, you can see those long strands wrapping the bud. When it finishes flowering the petals fall off leaving the sepals looking like flowers. The name Calytrix translates from greek as "Hairy Calyx". The red sepals turn to yellow, then beige/off white as they age; staying on the plant for a long time. This is one of those plants where the seed/fruit forms behind the flower. As such, the calix stays with the fruit and acts as a windmill to then disperse the seed.

Copyright © 2021-2024 Brett & Marie Smith. All Rights Reserved. Photographed 02-Nov-2021
This species is classed as LC (Least Concern) in the Murray Mallee, SA, by DENR (Regional Species Status Assessments, July 2010)