Callistemon brachyandrus

Location & distribution maps

Plant  information

Common name:         Prickly Bottlebrush

• Also, Scarlet Bottlebrush

Conservation status: ...

Etymology:   

• The specific epithet (brachyandra) is derived from the ancient Greek words brachys (βραχύς), meaning "short" and anēr, genitive andros (ἀνήρ, genitive ἀνδρός), meaning "male", referring to the length of the stamens being shorter than the styles

Flowers

• The flowers are arranged in spikes on the ends of branches that continue to grow after flowering

• The spikes are up to 35 mm in diameter with 7 to 36 individual flowers

• The petals are 2.8–4.9 mm long and fall off as the flower ages

• There are 50 to 84 stamens in each flower, with their "stalks" (the filaments) rich crimson and "tips" (the anthers) green

• Flowering occurs from September to January and is followed by fruits that are woody capsules, 9–12.4 mm long

Fruit:                            

Leaves:         

• Arranged alternately and are 18–61 mm long, 0.5–1.7 mm wide

• Linear with a kidney-shaped in cross section 

• The end tapering to a sharp point

Stem & branches: 

• Has hard bark and a rigid habit

Roots:         

Habit:        

• A shrub growing to 1.5–8 m tall 

Habitat:   

Distribution:                  

• Endemic to NSW, Victoria and South Australia 

• Occurs in scattered inland areas of NSW, mostly commonly in the Cobar district

• It also occurs in the lower Murray River districts of north-western Victoria and south-eastern South Australia

Additional notes:    

• Taxonomy and naming

  • Melaleuca brachyandra was first formally described in 2006 by Lyndley Craven in Novon

  • It had previously been known as Callistemon brachyandrus since John Lindley described it in 1849 in Journal of the Horticultural Society of London

  • Callistemon brachyandrus is regarded as a synonym of Melaleuca brachyandra by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

• Use in horticulture

  • It is a shrub or small tree with narrow leaves and showy red and green flowers making it an ideal ornamental plant in temperate areas

  • Although it has prickly leaves, the attractive flower spikes of M. brachyandra make it a suitable ornamental for temperate gardens

  • It is usually more resistant to pests than other species of the former Callistemon

  • It prefers well-drained soil in a sunny situation

Sources of information:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melaleuca_brachyandra (2023)