Melaleuca lazaridis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to the Blackdown Tableland National Park in Queensland. (Some Australian state herbaria use the name Callistemon lazaridis).[1] It is a shrub with dark green leaves and red flowers spikes tipped with yellow.
Melaleuca lazaridis is a shrub growing to 4sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 tall with hard, fibrous bark. Its leaves are arranged alternately and are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide, flat, mostly narrow egg-shaped with a mid-vein and 9 to 29 branching veins.[2]
The flowers are arranged in spikes on the ends of branches that continue to grow after flowering and also on the sides of the branches. The spikes are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 in diameter with 25 to 60 individual flowers. The petals are NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long and fall off as the flower ages. There are 48-59 stamens in each flower with red to deep pink filaments and yellow anthers. Flowering occurs from June to September and is followed by fruit that are woody capsules, NaNsigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long.[2]
Melaleuca lazaridis was first formally described in 2006 by Lyndley Craven in Novon.[3] [4] The specific epithet (lazaridis) honours Michael Lazarides, an Australian botanical collector, agrostologist and co-collector of the type specimen.[5]
Callistemon lazaridis is regarded as a synonym of Melaleuca lazaridis by Plants of the World Online.[6]
This melaleuca only occurs in the Blackdown Tableland National Park, where it grows in a range of habitats but often near sandstone in open forest and along creeks.