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| Last updated: February 2025 |

Two years ago, I documented the change in the botanical name of this tree (refer to the note below). Upon recent review, I discovered that the botanical name has once again changed, now to Aggreflorum longifolium. As iNaturalist has also updated their records to reflect the new names, the links to their website provided earlier are no longer valid. I have decided to retain the original note (with the invalid links removed) as it captures the fascinating evolution of the accepted botanical names over time.

As of 21 February 2025, the iNaturalist website recorded 58 observations of Aggreflorum brachyandrum (synonym: Leptospermum brachyandrum). Except for one observation from a botanical garden in China, the remaining 57 observations were reported from Australia. For Aggreflorum longifolium (synonym: Leptospermum madidum), there were 19 obervations: 15 from Australia, 3 from Malaysia, and one labeled as "Private". The private observation is most likely from Singapore. Additionally, the name on NParks' Flora & Fauna Web has been updated to Aggreflorum longifolium.

[The Note below was written in February 2023]

This was not a tree that I had pay much attention over the years except to capture its images as part of my plant pictorial database. In June 2023, someone shared with me some pictures of this plant from her home. As usual, I did a search online to check whether there was anything new about this plant. Indeed, I found out that the botanical name of this plant was changed from Leptospermum brachyandrum to Leptospermum madidum subsp. sativum in NParks’ Flora & Fauna Web. The previous name used, Leptospermum brachyandrum, was indicated as a misapplied name.

The Australian Plants online had the following description of the 2 trees. But, there was no unique differences that stood out from the description. This information was updated quite a while back in September 1996.

• Leptospermum brachyandrum - this is fairly widely grown for its attractive weeping habit and for its attractive bark. Flowers are white, generally small and not prominent.
• Leptospermum madidum - (previously L. longifolium) this is not widely grown, but is attractive with its weeping foliage and peeling, multicoloured bark. It flowers well, but the tiny white flowers are not prominent.

I found "A Beekeeper’s Guide to Australian Leptospermum" published in December 2018 that had pictures of the 2 trees, Leptospermum brachyandrum in page 29 and Leptospermum madidum in page 83. For Leptospermum madidum, the guide stated that “The bark peels revealing a smooth trunk that is not as colourful as other species like it (L. brachyandrum)”.

Based on the pictures of Leptospermum brachyandrum seen in iNaturalist website, the tree does not seem have a weeping appearance. Of the 32 observations posted (viewed on 17 June 2023), only one was from Malaysia while the rest were from Australia. The one from Malaysia might be a Leptospermum madidum instead.

On the other hand, the pictures of Leptospermum madidum did show a weeping appearance. Of the 10 observations posted, one each was from Singapore and Malaysia while the rest were from Australia.

In Singapore, Leptospermum brachyandrum was reported in a flora survey at Bukit Batok area published in 2013 [1]. Needless to say, it was also listed in the old Singapore flora checklist published in 2009. Surprisingly, no Leptospermum species was included in the latest Singapore flora checklist published in 2022.

Reference:

[1] Neo L, Yee ATK, Chong KY, Kee CY, Lim RCJ, Ng WQ, Ng XY, Tan HTW. The vascular plant flora of Bukit Batok, Singapore. Nature in Singapore 2013;6:265-287. | Read article |