Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Taxandria
Species: T. Juniperina
Binomial name: Taxandria juniperina
Common names: Juniper Myrtle, Juniper Wattle, Swamp Wattle, Warren River Cedar,
Taxandria juniperina is a species of tree that grows in the south west corner of Western Australia. It was previously classified as Agonis juniperina but is now part of the Taxandria genus. It is closely related to Leptospermum species (Manuka)
It is an erect dense tree usually growing up to 12m but can grow up to 27 metres in its native environment. The tree has evergreen foliage with very narrow leaves about 12 mm long and about 1 mm wide. The flowers are produced between February to November as upright whitish inflorescences. Each flower is 5 mm in diameter with white(sometimes pink) petals.
When the leaves and young stems are bruised they release a spicy perfume from which the plant is recognised to be a member of the family Myrtaceae.
The trunk has a fibrous brown bark that is a light red colour on the underside.
This tree was photographed on the Merrilands domain boundary, New Plymouth, Taranaki.
[1]
The 5 mm diameter flowers
[5]
The small 12 mm leaves.
[6]
The seed cases
[7]
The distinctive flaking bark.
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