Correa alba Andrews, Bot. Repos. 1: t. 18 1798. (Syn: Correa alba var. rotundifolia (Lindl.) DC.; Correa cotinifolia Salisb. [Illegitimate]; Correa rotundifolia Lindl.; Correa rufa (Labill.) Vent.; Mazeutoxeron rufum Labill. (Unresolved));
Botany Bay Tea Tree This interesting Australian shrub cultivated here in California really tested my botany. I started from appearance of flower, tetramerous flowers and 8 stamens to look for some species of Daphne, only to learn that it has both calyx and corolla and fruit a capsule splitting into four parts, not expected of Daphne. Key in the Manual of cultivated Plants led me to family Ericaceae to find that it does not match any listed there. Only when I uploaded to TAXACOM that I received a suggestion from Prof. Stevens (who maintains APWeb website) that it could be Correa, a member of Rutaceae. Only when I tried to pull apart corolla lobes that I found these are connivent petals and not fused petals. Photographed in Sunnyvale, California Wonderful saga of how to search for an unknown... PS so this plant is also a salt tolerant white flowered one... just like the Carissa macrocarpa... I find the superficial similarities quite interesting... one from Australia another from south africa.. both grown in California... I think yes, based on statement from Wikipedia: "The species occurs in sandy or rocky areas in coastal areas of south-eastern Australia south of Port Stephens" Refrences: |
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