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Wildlife, Animals, and Plants
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Introductory
SPECIES: Melaleuca quinquenervia | Melaleuca
ABBREVIATION :
MELQUI
SYNONYMS :
NO-ENTRY
SCS PLANT CODE :
MEQU
COMMON NAMES :
melaleuca
cajeput
punk-tree
paper-bark tree
five-veined paperbark
bottle-brush tree
TAXONOMY :
The currently accepted scientific name for melaleuca is Melaleuca
quinquenervia (Cav.) S. T. Blake [13]. There are no recognized
subspecies, varieties, or forms.
LIFE FORM :
Tree
FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS :
No special status
OTHER STATUS :
NO-ENTRY
COMPILED BY AND DATE :
Milo Coladonato, September 1992
LAST REVISED BY AND DATE :
NO-ENTRY
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION :
Coladonato, Milo. 1992. Melaleuca quinquenervia. In: Remainder of Citation
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Melaleuca quinquenervia | Melaleuca
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION :
Melaleuca's native range is along the coast of eastern Australia from
Sydney northward. It is native also in New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea,
and Irian Jaya [8]. In the continental United States, melaleuca is
naturalized on a significant scale only in southern Florida, with the
largest concentrations in Palm Beach, Broward, Dade, Collier, and Glades
counties [16]. A million trees have been planted in Hawaii, but natural
regeneration is limited to the island of Maui. Planted melaleuca can be
found in parts of southern California and southern Texas [8].
ECOSYSTEMS :
FRES12 Longleaf - slash pine
FRES15 Oak - hickory
FRES16 Oak - gum - cypress
STATES :
CA FL HI TX
ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS :
BICY EVER HALE
BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS :
KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS :
K079 Palmetto prairie
K091 Cypress savanna
K092 Everglades
K112 Southern mixed forest
K115 Sand pine scrub
SAF COVER TYPES :
70 Longleaf pine
83 Longleaf pine - slash pine
84 Slash pine
100 Pondcypress
101 Baldcypress
111 South Florida slash pine
SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES :
NO-ENTRY
HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES :
NO-ENTRY
VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Melaleuca quinquenervia | Melaleuca
WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE :
Melaleuca is not used in Florida or Hawaii for commercial lumber because
its bark-to-wood ratio is high, the average stem diameter small, and the
form poor. However, the wood is suitable for uses such as pulp and
cabinetry. The wood can be used for fuel but is more difficult to use
than other species because of its powdery, low-density bark [8].
Experimental work has been done on melaleuca for production of sawwood,
gunstocks, cutting boards, trophy plaques, furniture, and fence posts.
The results of these tests have been satisfatory to excellent. The
species may be undesirable for tomato stakes because of the allelopathic
resins in the wood [3].
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE :
Melaleuca provides little food for wildlife, and dense young stands have
been labeled "particularly poor wildlife habitat." Studies in southern
Florida indicate that while 10 percent of birds active in melaleuca
heads actually feed there, only 1.5 percent nest there [3].
In south Florida melaleuca is replacing the natural habitat and food
sources of native species such as alligator and deer. No small birds or
mammals eat the seed of melaleuca [10].
PALATABILITY :
NO-ENTRY
NUTRITIONAL VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
COVER VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES :
Because of its fast growth and ability to quickly invade disturbed
sites, melaleuca has been planted for erosion control on deforested
sites. However, it is not recommended for this use because of its
deleterious effect on the habitat of native species [3,9].
OTHER USES AND VALUES :
The leaves, twigs, and seeds of melaleuca produce cajeput oil that has
been used as an antiseptic and analgesic. The oil has also been used in
perfumes, cough drops, and as a flavoring for candy, ice cream, and
beverages [3].
Melaleuca is a good source of nectar for honey, package bees, and wax.
The honey, called "punk honey", is not used as table honey but is used
in the baking industry [3].
Although melaleuca was originally introduced into Florida as an
ornamental, it is no longer planted for this purpose [2].
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
The spread of melaleuca has caused considerable alarm about possible
irreversible changes that may be occurring in the ecosystem of south
Florida. Originally planted as an ornamental, it has spread across
hundreds of square kilometers and has become a formidable competitor for
water and mineral resources. It also has the potential to replace
hundreds of local plants and moderately or severely impact several
animal species, some of which are endangered or threatened [20].
Mechanical removal: Mechanical clearing with a follow-up seedling
control program is an effective but expensive long-term solution. If
cleared lands receive no on-going mechanical treatment, melaleuca will
invade and rapidly colonize the disturbed soil. Downed trees and limbs
should be removed from the site to eliminate the seed source and
potential sprouting [15].
Herbicides: Most herbicides show limited effectiveness against
melaleuca. Most provide only short-term results, and melaleuca trees
quickly refoliate after treatment. Some of the more effective uses of
herbicides under various conditions have been outlined [4,12].
Biological control: Research is currently being done in the use of
various biological controls of melaleuca. Workers in Australia have
identified more than 50 species of insects that utilize melaleuca as a
food source. Long-term control of melaeuca would best be achieved with
the introduction of effective biological control agents. However, the
prospect of biological agents solving the problem of melaleuca within
the next decade is remote [20].
BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Melaleuca quinquenervia | Melaleuca
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS :
Melaleuca is a relatively fast-growing evergreen tree reaching a height
of about 90 feet (27 m), but more commonly 50 to 70 feet (15-21 m). It
grows in typically dense monocultures. It is self-pruning, tall and
slender, and generally lacks branches on the lower two-thirds of its
bole. The branches are slender and moderately short. Trees grown in
the open have a broader, columnar form with dense branches extending
from near the soil surface to the top of the tree. Some have multiple
trunks, often more than a dozen that originate close to the soil surface
and diverge outward, giving it a shrublike form. The white flowers are
borne on spikes with an average of 30 sessile capsules per flower spike.
A branch may bear 8 to 12 of these seed-bearing sections, often
alternating with foliage, along a single axis. The hard, woody capsules
are aggregated along the branches. The thick, low-density bark contains
multiple layers of paperlike material that retains both considerable
moisture and abundant small air spaces. The leaves are simple and
arranged in five spiral rows.
The root system of melaleuca is adapted to fluctuating water tables.
The surface root network is characterized by abundant vertical sinker
roots that extend at least to the water table's deepest annual level.
During periods of surface flooding, "water roots" proliferate from
permanent surface roots and submerged portions of the stems [8,9,12].
RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM :
Phanerophyte
REGENERATION PROCESSES :
Seed production and dissemination: Melaleuca's primary mode of
reproduction is sexual. It produces an abundance of small, lightweight
seeds and can begin seed production as early as 1 year of age, although
most trees do not flower that young. Viable seeds are present in
capsules that are 15 years old, but viability of seeds declines with
age. Some capsules apparently open constantly, releasing a continous
light rain of seeds. Most capsules are serotinous. They do not open
until the conductive tissue connecting them to the tree is disrupted by
shoot growth and bark production, or by stress, such as fire, frost,
mechanical damage, or herbicide treatment. Following stress, a massive
seed release may begin within a few hours and occur over several days.
Melaleuca has no adaptations that aid in seed dispersal. The seed is
not dispersed by any native birds or mammals. Most seeds fall close to
the parent tree, with wind dispersal affected by the height of the seed
release and wind speed. The seeds will also float on water if the
surface tension is maintained. In spite of the small size, the seeds
are surprisingly long-lived, remaining viable up to 10 months. When
submerged in water, the seeds will live up to 6 months. [5,8,10]
Seedling development: Germination is epigeal. Dense reproduction
occurs when trees shed millions of seeds. Seedlings averaging 6.5 feet
(2.0 m) tall may be as dense as 1.4 million per acre (3.5 million/ha).
If seedlings are submerged by water for several months, they may survive
and resume growth. Seedling growth may occur every month of the year,
but growth is most rapid from spring to early fall. Natural seedlings
can grow more than 3 feet (1 m) tall during the first year, while
seedlings planted at a density of 4,050 per acre (10,000/ha) on drained
muck soils grew 6.5 feet (2.0 m) in 6 months [8].
Vegetative reproduction: Melaleuca stumps sprout readily. The tree has
the ability to generate adventitious buds on its roots and shoots. This
characteristic results in coppicing below a cut or when the apical bud
is destroyed. A tree that is uprooted and on the ground may develop
into a row of trees as a result of branches on the upper side of the
bole becoming individual trunks. Broken branches that fall on suitable
soils may root and grow. The adventitious buds generate a collar of
"water roots" in the water column above the sediment where there is
prolonged flooding [10].
SITE CHARACTERISTICS :
Melaleuca tolerates a broad range of site conditions. It becomes
established more readily on sand than on marl but can survive on almost
any soil in south Florida. It tolerates extended flooding, moderate
drought, and some salinity [5,24].
Soils supporting melaleuca include the suborders Psammaquents, Aquods,
and Saprists of the orders Entisols, Spodosols, and Histosols,
respectively. Many of these soils are shallow and underlain by
limestone [8].
In Hawaii, melaleuca is found from sea level to 4,500 feet (1,400 m).
In grows fairly well on Hawaiian soils, especially on Inceptisols,
Ultisols, and Oxisols developed on basalt ash or lava rock of pH 4.5 to
5.5 [1,8].
Some common associates of melaleuca not previously listed in
Distribution and Occurrence include cabbage palmetto (Sabal palmetto),
Brazilian peppertree (Schinus terebinthifolia), southern bayberry
(Myrica cerifera), cocoa plum (Chrysobalanus icaco), and buttonbush
(Cephalanthus occidentalis) [1,8].
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS :
Obligate Initial Community Species.
Melaleuca rarely has to compete directly with other tree species in
Florida because it mainly invades sparsely vegetated ecotones, prairies,
marshes, and fire-damaged forests. Mature trees are classed as
intolerant, although some germination and seedling development does
occur in shade. Massive seed release typically follows disturbance such
as fire, allowing melaleuca to invade the site and form an almost pure
stand. Pure stands with a closed canopy will inhibit the development of
understory vegetation, including melaleuca seedlings [8,16].
SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT :
Flowering occurs in every month except February, March, and April.
After flowering, twigs continue to elongate from the ends of spikes to
produce leaves or more flowers. Individual trees bloom from two to five
times a year. In Hawaii melaleuca flowers throughout the year [8].
FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Melaleuca quinquenervia | Melaleuca
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS :
Melaleuca is well adapted to fire. It has a thick, spongy bark that
insulates the cambium. The outer layers of bark are flakey and burn
vigorously, which conducts the fire into the canopy, igniting the
oil-laden foliage. The leaves and small branches are killed, but
dormant lateral buds on the trunk germinate within weeks after the burn.
This prolific sprouting increases the surface area of small branches and
therefore the tree's reproductive potential [5,23].
Melaleuca can flower within weeks after a fire. Each serotinous capsule
contains about 250 tiny seeds which are released after a burn, frost, or
any other event that severs the vascular connections to the fruit. A
burned melaleuca tree can release millions of seeds, which are dispersed
a short distance by wind and water [5,10].
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY :
Secondary colonizer - on-site seed
Secondary colonizer - off-site seed
Tree with adventitious-bud root crown/root sucker
FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Melaleuca quinquenervia | Melaleuca
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT :
Seedlings that are less than 3 to 6 months old, or only 4 to 8 inches
(10-20 cm) high are often killed by hot surface fires. Death may occur
as a result of lethal temperatures, insufficient food reserves to
produce new shoots, or drying of the sediments due to increased
exposure. Older seedlings are top-killed by most fires but recover
quickly, often with multiple shoots sprouting from the root collar [10].
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT :
NO-ENTRY
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE :
A mature maleleuca tree will respond to fire by releasing millions of
seeds that are held in the capsules on the twigs and branches. Adults
damaged by fire may also sprout vigorously from the roots, bole, or
branches. The proliferation of branches on a burned adult tree often
results in more twigs, and thus more capsules and more seed production
than was the case prior to the burn [22,23].
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE :
NO-ENTRY
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
Fire alone has not been recommended as an effective means of controlling
melaleuca [18,19]. However, there is a possibility (as yet untried)
that fire may be useful in controlling melaleuca on some sites. If the
adult melaleuca were killed by below-freezing temperatures, fire might
be a good method of eliminating any subsequent seedlings. A second
possible use of fire would be to induce a melaleuca seed release at a
time when germinating seeds would be killed by drought or flooding.
This approach would require accurate predictions of water level changes
and merits additional research before definite recommendations can be
made [23].
REFERENCES
SPECIES: Melaleuca quinquenervia | Melaleuca
REFERENCES :
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Florida Scientist. 39(4): 230-235. [14570]
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Melaleuca quinquenervia: prospects and conflicts. In: Center, Ted D.;
Doren, Robert F.; Hofstetter, Ronald L.; [and others], eds. Proceedings
of the symposium on exotic pest plants; 1988 November 2-4; Miami, FL.
Tech. Rep. NPS/NREVER/NRTR-91/06. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the
Interior, National Park Service: 1-22. [17855]
3. Diamond, Craig; Davis, Darrell; Schmitz, Don C. 1991. Economic impact
statement: The addition of Melaleuca quinquenervia to the Florida
prohibited aquatic plant list. In: Center, Ted D.; Doren, Robert F.;
Hofstetter, Ronald L.; [and others], eds. Proceedings of the symposium
on exotic pest plants; 1988 November 2-4; Miami, FL. Tech. Rep.
NPS/NREVER/NRTR-91/06. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of the Interior,
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5. Ewel, J. J. 1986. Invasibility: Lessons from south Florida. In: Mooney,
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ecosystems. Agric. Handb. 475. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
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southeastern United States: Dicotyledons. Athens, GA: The University of
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of the conterminous United States. Special Publication No. 36. New York:
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Gainsville, FL: University of Florida, Cooperative Extension Service,
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and naturalized). Agric. Handb. 541. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
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following large northern Rocky Mountain wildfires. In: Proceedings, Tall
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nutans by Melaleuca quinquenervia in Florida. In: Ewel, Katherine
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18. Snyder, James R. 1991. Fire regimes in subtropical south Florida. In:
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subtropical south Florida. In: Stokes, Marvin A.; Dieterich, John H.,
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program: Assessment of methodology and efficacy. In: Center, Ted D.;
Doren, Robert F.; Hofstetter, Ronald L.; [and others], eds. Proceedings
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23. Wade, Dale; Ewel, John; Hofstetter, Ronald. 1980. Fire in south Florida
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Index
Related categories for Species: Melaleuca quinquenervia
| Melaleuca
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