Callistemon linearis (Schrad. & J.C.Wendl.) Colvill ex Sweet

Callistemon rigidus R.Br., Melaleuca linearis Schrad. & J.C.Wendl.

narrow-leaved bottlebrush, stiff bottlebrush, upright bottlebrush

Australia: south-eastern coastal regions.

In New Zealand almost exclusively found in cultivation; only a few records of it self-establishing.

Scattered records from mainly urban areas in the North Island of New Zealand.

• Leaves linear, <3 mm wide, but sometimes broader.
• Leaf lateral veins obscure.
• Flowers at first in terminal spikes, but spike axes soon growing out into leafy shoots.
• Stamens free.
• Filaments pink to red.

Sparsely branched shrubs to 3 m tall.

Bark grey, hard, fibrous. Branchlets with hairs.

Adult leaves alternate, linear, 40–100(–130) mm long, 1–4(–6) mm wide; leaf blade flat, hairy when young, soon becoming hairless, leaf surfaces not puckered; margins entire and thick; tips pointed, sometimes prolonged and stiff; leaf bases becoming gradually narrower; leaf stalks absent or to 1 mm.

Flowers produced in cylindrical spikes 50–100 mm long, mostly 45–50 mm or occasionally to 60 mm diam., flowers ± 5–7 mm in diam., stalks absent, petals 5, yellow-green to cream; sepals 5, tips free, hairy; stamens red, longer than petals, filaments 20–25 mm long, anthers dark red. Main flowering period: late spring to early summer.

Fruit dry, 3–4-locular, each fruit ± 5–7 mm wide.

Here separated from Callistemon citrinus, C. salignus and C. viminalis by possessing leaves <3 mm wide as opposed to >3 mm wide.

Callistemon linearis is listed as a DOC Environmental Weed in New Zealand.

The traditional taxonomic view has C. linearis possessing leaves <3 mm wide. However, inclusion of C. rigidus in the former, as the Australian Plant Census (APC) currently does, means that leaves can be wider.

Callistemon is a genus of about 50 species endemic to Australia. Some consider Callistemon to be better placed in Melaleuca. We follow the Australian Plant Census (APC) by recognising them as separate genera.

• Flora of New Zealand Online (Melaleuca linearis; species profile)
• Flora of New Zealand Online (Melaleuca linearis; weed profile)
• GBIF
• iNaturalist NZ (Melaleuca linearis)
• PlantNET: New South Wales Flora Online
• Plants of South Eastern New South Wales
• VicFlora: Flora of Victoria