AusTraits

Leptospermum polygalifolium

Explore the data for this taxon in the portal

Family Myrtaceae

Taxonomy: Leptospermum polygalifolium Salisb.

Synonyms: 14 (APC 2026-07-30)
  • Leptospermum aquaticum Otto & A.Dietr. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Leptospermum buxifolium H.L.Wendl. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Leptospermum flavescens f. microphyllum Siebert & Voss (taxonomic synonym)
  • Leptospermum nervosum Otto & A.Dietr. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Leptospermum obtusum G.Don (taxonomic synonym)
  • Leptospermum polygalaefolium Salisb. (orthographic variant)
  • Leptospermum retusum Otto & A.Dietr. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Leptospermum roseum Otto & A.Dietr. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Leptospermum stellatum Cav. (pro parte taxonomic synonym)
  • Leptospermum stellatum Cav. f. stellatum (pro parte taxonomic synonym)
  • Leptospermum stellatum Cav. var. stellatum (pro parte taxonomic synonym)
  • Leptospermum stellatum var. typicum Hochr. (pro parte taxonomic synonym)
  • Leptospermum thea (Schrad. & J.C.Wendl.) Willd. (taxonomic synonym)
  • Melaleuca thea Schrad. & J.C.Wendl. (taxonomic synonym)

Distribution (APC): Qld, NSW, LHI

Profiles: APC, Flora of Australia, ALA, iNaturalist, NSW Flora, ATRP

Traits

Top source datasets: Benwell_2024 (4), Clarke_2015 (6), Collette_2021 (1), Cunningham_1999 (16), Draper_2023 (3), Duncan_1998 (14), Hughes_1992 (3), Hughes_2005 (5), Jagdish_2020 (4), Kew_2019_1 (4), Kooyman_2011 (13), Kotowska_2020 (185), Kubiak_2009 (5), Munroe_2019 (1), NHNSW_2014_2 (3), NHNSW_2022 (3), NHNSW_2023 (18), Pickup_2005 (8), Pickup_2021 (10), Sjostrom_2006 (3), Tsujii_2023 (8), Wenk_2022 (2), Wenk_2023 (1), White_2020 (38), Wright_2001 (1), Wright_2002 (72). See below for a full list of sources.
Summary: AusTraits contains 113 traits from 431 records in 26 datasets.

Traits by category (click to expand). For categorical traits, the values are listed. For numerical traits, the mean and range are shown.

fire response
  • resprouting_capacity (categorical): partial_resprouting (3); resprouts (3) [sources: Benwell_2024; Clarke_2015; Kubiak_2009; Pickup_2021]
  • post_fire_recruitment (categorical): post_fire_recruitment (4); post_fire_recruitment_absent (1) [sources: Benwell_2024; Clarke_2015; Pickup_2021]
flower morphology
  • flower_colour (categorical): white_cream (1) [sources: NHNSW_2014_2]
fruit morphology
  • fruit_width (numerical): 7.5 mm (5-10 mm) [sources: NHNSW_2023]
  • fruit_height (numerical): 7.5 mm (5-10 mm) [sources: NHNSW_2023]
  • fruit_type (categorical): capsule (2) [sources: NHNSW_2023; Sjostrom_2006]
  • fruit_fleshiness (categorical): dry (1) [sources: Sjostrom_2006]
  • fruit_dehiscence (categorical): dehiscent (2) [sources: NHNSW_2023; Sjostrom_2006]
leaf morphology
  • leaf_area (numerical): 25.48 mm2 (14-33.25 mm2) [sources: Duncan_1998; Pickup_2005; Wright_2002]
  • leaf_length (numerical): 12.5 mm (5-20 mm) [sources: Kooyman_2011; NHNSW_2023]
  • leaf_width (numerical): 3.8 mm (1-6 mm) [sources: Cunningham_1999; Kooyman_2011; NHNSW_2023]
  • leaf_dry_mass (numerical): 2.1 mg (2.1-2.1 mg) [sources: Duncan_1998]
  • leaf_mass_per_area (numerical): 92.92 g/m2 (62.75-111.45 g/m2) [sources: Cunningham_1999; Duncan_1998; Kotowska_2020; Pickup_2005; Tsujii_2023; Wright_2002]
  • leaf_area_ratio (numerical): 5.02 mm2/mg (5.02-5.02 mm2/mg) [sources: Pickup_2005]
  • leaf_dry_matter_content (numerical): 0.35 g/g (0.31-0.39 g/g) [sources: Cunningham_1999; Duncan_1998]
  • leaf_shape (categorical): linear_elliptical (1); oblanceolate (1) [sources: NHNSW_2023]
  • leaf_base_shape (categorical): attenuate (1) [sources: NHNSW_2023]
  • leaf_margin (categorical): entire (1) [sources: NHNSW_2023]
  • leaf_margin_posture (categorical): flat (1); revolute (1) [sources: NHNSW_2023]
  • leaf_lobation (categorical): unlobed (1) [sources: Kooyman_2011]
  • leaf_compoundness (categorical): simple (2) [sources: Kooyman_2011; NHNSW_2023]
  • leaf_lamina_posture (categorical): flat (1) [sources: NHNSW_2023]
  • leaf_phyllotaxis (categorical): alternate (1) [sources: NHNSW_2023]
  • plant_photosynthetic_organ (categorical): leaf (1) [sources: NHNSW_2023]
life history
  • photosynthetic_pathway (categorical): c3 (5) [sources: Cunningham_1999; Duncan_1998; Munroe_2019; White_2020]
  • plant_growth_form (categorical): shrub (7); tree (3) [sources: Hughes_1992; Kooyman_2011; NHNSW_2022; Pickup_2021; Wenk_2022; White_2020]
  • life_history (categorical): perennial (2) [sources: NHNSW_2022; Wenk_2023]
  • woodiness_detailed (categorical): woody (2) [sources: NHNSW_2022; Wenk_2022]
  • leaf_phenology (categorical): evergreen (2) [sources: Cunningham_1999; Kooyman_2011]
  • nitrogen_fixing (categorical): non_nitrogen_fixer (3) [sources: Cunningham_1999; White_2020]
  • parasitic (categorical): not_parasitic (2) [sources: White_2020]
  • pollination_syndrome (categorical): insect (3) [sources: Draper_2023; White_2020]
  • dispersal_syndrome (categorical): anemochory (2); barochory (1); zoochory (1) [sources: Draper_2023; White_2020]
  • dispersers (categorical): abiotic (1); animals (1); passive (1); wind (2) [sources: Draper_2023; White_2020]
  • flowering_time (categorical): nnnnnnnnnnyy (2); nnnnnnnnyyyy (1); ynnnnnnyyyyy (1) [sources: Hughes_1992; NHNSW_2014_2; White_2020]
  • seedbank_location (categorical): canopy_seedbank (3) [sources: Benwell_2024; Pickup_2021]
  • seedbank_longevity_class (categorical): persistent (2); transient (2) [sources: Pickup_2021; White_2020]
  • seed_dormancy_class (categorical): non_dormant (1) [sources: Collette_2021]
  • vegetative_reproduction_ability (categorical): not_vegetative (3) [sources: NHNSW_2014_2; White_2020]
  • bud_bank_location (categorical): basal_stem_buds (2) [sources: Clarke_2015]
nutrient and stable isotope
  • leaf_N_per_dry_mass (numerical): 12.1 mg/g (9-13.53 mg/g) [sources: Cunningham_1999; Kotowska_2020; Tsujii_2023; Wright_2002]
  • leaf_P_per_dry_mass (numerical): 0.5 mg/g (0.4-0.72 mg/g) [sources: Kotowska_2020; Tsujii_2023; Wright_2002]
  • leaf_delta13C (numerical): -29.75 {delta}[ppth] (-29.75--29.75 {delta}[ppth]) [sources: Wright_2002]
seed morphology
  • seed_dry_mass (numerical): 0.12 mg (0.09-0.2 mg) [sources: Jagdish_2020; Kew_2019_1; Wright_2001]
  • seed_length (numerical): 1.5 mm (1-2 mm) [sources: Kooyman_2011]
  • seed_width (numerical): 1 mm (1-1 mm) [sources: Kooyman_2011]
stem morphology
  • wood_density (numerical): 0.73 mg/mm3 (0.66-0.77 mg/mm3) [sources: Hughes_2005; Kotowska_2020; Pickup_2005]
  • huber_value (numerical): 0 mm2{sapwood}/mm2{leaf} (0-0 mm2{sapwood}/mm2{leaf}) [sources: Kotowska_2020; Pickup_2005]
  • stem_vessel_density (numerical): 121.72 {count}/mm2 (25.18-181.93 {count}/mm2) [sources: Hughes_2005; Kotowska_2020]
  • stem_vessel_diameter (numerical): 23 um (23-23 um) [sources: Hughes_2005]
  • stem_vessel_lumen_fraction (numerical): 0.11 mm2/mm2 (0.08-0.16 mm2/mm2) [sources: Hughes_2005; Kotowska_2020]
whole plant morphology

Sources

dataset_idn_traitsn_recordsreference
Kotowska_202022185M. M. Kotowska, I. J. Wright, and M. Westoby. “Parenchyma abundance in wood of evergreen trees varies independently of nutrients”. Frontiers in Plant Science 11 (2020), p. art86. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00086.
Wright_20022372I. J. Wright and M. Westoby. “Leaves at low versus high rainfall: Coordination of structure, lifespan and physiology”. New Phytologist 155 (2002), pp. 403-416. doi: 10.1046/j.1469-8137.2002.00479.x.
White_20201938M. White, S. Sinclair, and D. Frood. Victorian Vital Attributes Database. database. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Victoria, 2020.
NHNSW_20231418N. H. of New South Wales. The Plant Information Network System of The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Version 2.0.. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2023. url: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
Cunningham_19991616S. A. Cunningham, B. Summerhayes, and M. Westoby. “Evolutionary divergences in leaf structure and chemistry, comparing rainfall and soil nutrient gradients”. Ecological Monographs 69 (1999), pp. 569-588. doi: [10.1890/0012-9615(1999)069[0569:EDILSA]2.0.CO;2](https://doi.org/10.1890%2F0012-9615%281999%29069%5B0569%3AEDILSA%5D2.0.CO%3B2).
Duncan_19981414D. H. Duncan. “Unpublished data: Structural basis of variation in leaf mass per area in three plant clades, Macquarie University”. 1998.
Kooyman_2011913R. Kooyman, M. Rossetto, W. Cornwell, and M. Westoby. “Phylogenetic tests of community assembly across regional to continental scales in tropical and subtropical rain forests”. Global Ecology and Biogeography 20 (2011), pp. 707-716. doi: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2010.00641.x.
Pickup_2021510M. Pickup and T. McDonald. Bushfire impacts — A national model for assessing local landscape restoration priorities. Project Phoenix Report. Greening Australia, 2021. url: https://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/1.02R2.pdf.
Pickup_200558M. Pickup, M. Westoby, and A. Basden. “Dry mass costs of deploying leaf area in relation to leaf size”. Functional Ecology 19.1 (2005), pp. 88-97. doi: 10.1111/j.0269-8463.2005.00927.x.
Tsujii_202388Y. Tsujii, B. J. Atwell, H. Lambers, and I. J. Wright. “Leaf phosphorus fractions vary with leaf economic traits among 35 Australian woody species”. New Phytologist 241.5 (2024), pp. 1985-1997. ISSN: 1469-8137. doi: 10.1111/nph.19513.
Clarke_201536P. J. Clarke, M. J. Lawes, B. P. Murphy, J. Russell-Smith, C. E. Nano, R. Bradstock, N. J. Enright, J. B. Fontaine, C. R. Gosper, I. Radford, J. J. Midgley, and R. M. Gunton. “A synthesis of postfire recovery traits of woody plants in Australian ecosystems”. Science of The Total Environment 534 (2015), pp. 31-42. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.04.002.
Hughes_200555K. Hughes. “Unpublished data: Wood and stem density data for Australian plant species, Macquarie University”. 2005.
Kubiak_200945P. J. Kubiak. “Fire responses of bushland plants after the January 1994 wildfires in northern Sydney”. Cunninghamia 11.1 (2009), pp. 131-165.
Benwell_202444A. Benwell. “Fire responses of flora in a sclerophyll-rainforest vegetation complex in the Nightcap Range, North Coast, New South Wales”. Australian Journal of Botany 72.1 (2024). Ed. by D. Williams. ISSN: 1444-9862. doi: 10.1071/bt23049.
Jagdish_202024A. Jagdish. “Unpublished data: Germination photoperiod sensitivity of Australian Plants, University of New South Wales”. 2020.
Kew_2019_114Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Seed Information Database (SID) and Seed Bank Database. 2019. url: http://data.kew.org/sid/.
Draper_202333J. T. Draper, S. Delean, J. G. Conran, P. Weinstein, and B. S. Simpson. “Life-history characteristics and climate correlates of dioecious plant species in central southern Australia”. Australian Journal of Botany unknown.unknown (2023), p. unknown. doi: 10.1071/BT22110.
Hughes_199233L. Hughes and B. Rice. “Unpublished data: Traits data for 643 species, Macquarie University”. 1992.
NHNSW_2014_233Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney. PLantNET: NSW flora online. 2014. url: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
NHNSW_202233N. H. of New South Wales. The Plant Information Network System of The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Version 2.0.. accessed on 6 May, 2022.. 2022. url: https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/.
Sjostrom_200633A. Sjöström and C. L. Gross. “Life-history characters and phylogeny are correlated with extinction risk in the Australian angiosperms”. Journal of Biogeography 33.2 (2006), pp. 271-290. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2699.2005.01393.x.
Wenk_202222E. Wenk. “Unpublished data: Australian plant growth forms dataset”. 2022.
Collette_202111J. C. Collette and M. K. J. Ooi. “Distribution of seed dormancy classes across a fire-prone continent: effects of rainfall seasonality and temperature”. Annals of Botany 127.5 (2021), pp. 613-620. doi: 10.1093/aob/mcaa203.
Munroe_201911S. E. M. Munroe, F. A. McInerney, J. Andrae, N. Welti, G. R. Guerin, E. Leitch, T. Hall, S. Szarvas, R. Atkins, S. Caddy-Retalic, and B. Sparrow. “The Photosynthetic Pathways of Plant Species Surveyed in Australia's National Terrestrial Monitoring Network”. Scientific Data 8 (2021), p. 97. doi: 10.1038/s41597-021-00877-z.
Wenk_202311E. Wenk. “Unpublished data: Australian plant life history dataset, University of New South Wales, Sydney”. 2023.
Wright_200111I. J. Wright. “Unpublished data: Seed mass reserve data for various species in NSW, Macquarie University”. 2001.