Phil Bendle Collection:Chamelaucium uncinatum (Geraldton wax flower)

Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Chamelaucium
Species: C. uncinatum
Binomial name: Chamelaucium uncinatum
Common name: Geraldton wax flower, Geraldton wax plant.\

Chamaelaucium uncinatum is a flowering shrub (>3 m tall) that is endemic to south western Australia were it is classed as a highly invasive weed which should not be planted near native bushland outside its natural range.
The name uncinatum means "hooked" in Latin and is in reference to the tips of its needle-like, aromatic leaves.
It belong to the myrtle family Myrtaceae and has flowers similar to those of the tea-trees (Leptospermum).. Each flower has five rounded, spreading petals and cup-shaped centers. Flowering begins in late spring and lasts into late summer.
Hybridizing work has resulted in a range of colors from pure white through pinks to red and lavender. Geraldton wax is most commonly white with varying tinges of mauve.

Photographed at Tupare Gardens ,New Plymouth (late March).
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The flowers are visited by many species of flies, insects and bees. Photo below is of a New Zealand native bee  (Genus Leioproctus) on the flowers of Chamelaucium uncinatum.
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