Kunzea

Location & distribution maps

Phylogeny & links to associated information:

Wikipedia links:       Angiosperms > Eudicots > Rosids  >  Myrtales > Myrtaceae > Kunzea

Other links:     

Plant  information

Common name:         ...

Conservation status: ...

Etymology:   

• Kunzea, after Dr Gustav Kunze (1793-1851), professor of medicine and botany, Leipzig

Flowers:                  

• The flowers are arranged in clusters near the ends of the branches, which in some species, continue to grow after flowering

• The flowers of most species lack a stalk but those that have one are usually solitary or in groups of two or three

• In some species, the flowers are surrounded by enlarged bracts

• There are five petals, five sepals and a large number of stamens which are always longer than the petals

• The flowers are similar to those of plants in the genus Leptospermum but differ in having stamens that are longer than the petals

Fruit:                         

• The fruit is a usually a woody capsule

• Kunzeas are similar to species in other genera of the Myrtaceae, especially Leptospermum but are distinguished from that genus by having stamens that are longer than the petals

Leaves:         

• Usually arranged alternately along the branches

• Usually small, crowded, rather aromatic 

Stem & branches: 

Roots:         

Habit:        

•  Shrubs or small trees

Habitat:   

Distribution:                  

• Endemic to Australasia

• The majority of Kunzea species are endemic to the south-west of Western Australia but there are species in every Australian state and in New Zealand

Species:                     

• World:           . . .

• Australia:    . . . 

Additional notes:     

• Taxonomy 

  • The taxonomy of the genus is not settled and is complicated by the existence of a number of hybrids

  • Kunzea is a genus of plants in the family Myrtaceae 

  • The first formal description of a kunzea was published in 1828 by Ludwig Reichenbach in his book Conspectus Regni Vegetabilis. Reichenbach referred to three species – K. capitata, K. ericifolia and K. corifolia (now K. ambigua) – but did not nominate a type species

  • In 1981, Hellmut Toelken nominated K. capitata as the type species

  • Reichenbach named the genus after his "distinguished friend", the German naturalist Gustav Kunze, professor of botany in Leipzig

  • The taxonomy of the genus is not settled and hybrids often occur where two species occur in the same area

• Use in horticulture

  • Some species of Kunzea are suitable for use in gardens. Kunzea ambigua is described as a "handsome shrub which attracts numerous birds and colourful soldier beetles when in flower"

  • A form of this species from southern Victoria reputedly flowers profusely with sprays of scented flowers

  • Kunzea capitata and K. pulchella are red-flowering species from Western Australia and are described as "indeed outstanding" although they are sometimes difficult to establish in eastern states and need to be grafted onto hardier rootstock

• Species- Sourced from the authoritative Australian Plant Name Index and Australian Plant Census as of January 2017 and the Kew Gardens World Checklist of Selected Plant Families:

  • Kunzea acicularis Toelken & G.F.Craig – WA

  • Kunzea acuminata Toelken – WA

  • Kunzea affinis S.Moore – WA

  • Kunzea amathicola de Lange & Toelken, rawiritoa – NZ

  • Kunzea aristulata Toelken – NSW

  • Kunzea ambigua (Sm.) Druce, tick bush – NSW, TAS, VIC

  • Kunzea axillaris Toelken – NSW

  • Kunzea badjaensis Toelken – NSW

  • Kunzea baxteri (Klotzsch) Schauer, scarlet kunzea – WA

  • Kunzea bracteolata Maiden & Betche – NSW, QLD

  • Kunzea caduca Toelken – QLD

  • Kunzea calida F.Muell. – QLD

  • Kunzea cambagei Maiden & Betche – NSW

  • Kunzea capitata (Sm.) Heynh., pink kunzea – NSW, QLD

  • Kunzea ciliata Toelken – WA

  • Kunzea cincinnata Toelken – WA

  • Kunzea clavata Toelken – WA

  • Kunzea dactylota Toelken – NSW

  • Kunzea ericifolia (Sm.) Rchb. ex Heynh., spearwood, pondil – WA

  • Kunzea ericoides (A.Rich.) Joy Thomps., manuoea, titira, atitira, kanuka - NZ

  • Kunzea eriocalyx F.Muell. – WA

  • Kunzea flavescens C.T.White & W.D.Francis, – QLD

  • Kunzea glabrescens Toelken, spearwood – WA

  • Kunzea graniticola Byrnes – QLD

  • Kunzea jucunda Diels & E.Pritz. – WA

  • Kunzea juniperoides Toelken – NSW

  • Kunzea leptospermoides F.Muell. ex Miq, Yarra burgan - VIC

  • Kunzea linearis (Kirk) de Lange & Toelken, rawiri manuka – NZ

  • Kunzea micrantha Schauer – WA

  • Kunzea micromera Schauer – WA

  • Kunzea montana (Diels) Domin, mountain kunzea – WA

  • Kunzea muelleri Benth., yellow kunzea – NSW

  • Kunzea newbeyi Toelken – WA

  • Kunzea obovata Byrnes – NSW, QLD

  • Kunzea occidentalis Toelken – NSW

  • Kunzea opposita F.Muell. – NSW, QLD

  • Kunzea parvifolia Schauer, violet kunzea – NSW, QLD, VIC

  • Kunzea pauciflora Schauer – WA

  • Kunzea peduncularis F.Muell. – VIC

  • Kunzea petrophila Toelken – NT

  • Kunzea phylicoides (A.Cunn. ex Schauer) Druce – NSW, VIC

  • Kunzea pomifera F.Muell., muntries – VIC, SA

  • Kunzea praestans Schauer – WA

  • Kunzea preissiana Schauer – WA

  • Kunzea pulchella (Lindl.) A.S.George, granite kunzea – WA

  • Kunzea recurva Schauer – WA

  • Kunzea robusta de Lange & Toelken, manuka, kanuka, kopuka, rawirinui, maru, rauriki – NZ

  • Kunzea × rosea (Turcz.) Govaerts – WA

  • Kunzea rostrata Toelken – WA

  • Kunzea rupestris Blakely – NSW

  • Kunzea salina (Trudgen & Keighery) Toelken & de Lange – WA

  • Kunzea salterae de Lange – NZ

  • Kunzea sericothrix Toelken – QLD

  • Kunzea serotina de Lange, makahikatoa – NZ

  • Kunzea similis Toelken – WA

  • Kunzea sinclairii (Kirk) W.Harris Great Barrier Island kanuka – NZ

  • Kunzea spathulata Toelken – WA

  • Kunzea × squarrosa Turcz. – WA

  • Kunzea strigosa Toelken & G.F.Craig – WA

  • Kunzea sulphurea Tovey & P.Morris – WA

  • Kunzea tenuicaulis de Lange geothermal kanuka, geothermal kunzea, prostrate kanuka – NZ

  • Kunzea toelkenii de Lange – NZ

  • Kunzea triregenis de Lange Three Kings kanuka – NZ

  • Kunzea truncata Toelken – QLD

Sources of information:

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