Swamp Tea-tree (follow up)

Description:

Despite being an endangered species, Melaleuca irbyana is a species of great resilience. I was last here in June of 2019, during the peak of the drought, but rains have since fallen and I was keen to see how the forest had fared. The gnarly old tree in the first photo really caught my eye, and all the loose paperbark hanging from its branches gave it so much character. The forest was much greener than it was last year, but the trees didn't look that different, that is until I took a closer look. New shoots were sprouting from the trunks of many of the trees, particularly the younger ones. Older trees also had fresh foliage but seemed to be shedding a lot of their outer bark, exposing the inner bark which was so fresh and soft and beautiful. Flowering usually occurs between September and January, so I was probably a bit late to see any. With all the rain we've had, no doubt they would have been plentiful. The various Melaleuca species love water, so it's no surprise to find these trees in this "sometimes" wetland area. The fact that they've survived years of drought is impressive. They are now flourishing having had fresh water, and the new growth is evidence of that, but the shedding of the outer paperbark layer must also be part of that process. The soft bark insulates the inner trunk and the tiny leaves minimise water loss, so the species is well-adapted to cope with prolonged dry spells, just as these trees have done. Here's my original spotting of the forest.... https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/13... There's plenty of species information there, plus at the references also.

Habitat:

Spotted at Purga Nature Reserve, Ipswich SEQ. Surrounding area cleared farmland, this region is freshening up with rain after a prolonged drought. This is usually a wetland area that is periodically waterlogged during wet periods. https://www.ipswich.qld.gov.au/__data/as... According to Ipswich Council, this small reserve constitutes "the largest protected area of endangered Swamp Tea-tree forest in the world."

Notes:

Distribution of Melaleuca irbyana is limited and the species has been classified as Endangered under legislation in both states (QLD and NSW), and the forest as Critically Endangered under Australian government legislation. (2005 - Australian Government) http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sp... (1999 - NSW Government) https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/Topic... (2015 - NSW Government) https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threa... (2017 - QLD Government Case Study 7 - page 44 of this PDF document) https://environment.des.qld.gov.au/wildl...