Sir James Hacker on Ti-trees

Few people realise that in addition to a successful career as a parliamentarian Jim, as an amateur botanist, also made a close study of the Ti-trees of Australia.  His particular expertise was in distinguishing the various species covered by this appellation.

In the case in point, when we first visited Carwoola I thought a fair proportion of our block was covered with Leptospermum.  It was pointed out to us a little later that this was actually Kunzea ericoides, which is now recognised as belonging to a different genus.  This is the shrub Burgan that covers the countryside in white blossom at Christmas.(In NZ it is called Kanuka and can be much larger. I didn't believe that a shrub here could grow to 30m in NZ, but this has been confirmed by a NZ friend.)

There is however a small patch of Letospermum juniperinum on Widgiewa Road which was also flowering now.  Here follow images of the Leptospermum (first) and the Kunzea.

Clearly the flowers are 'broadly similar being quite small and white.  The red colouration inside the Kunzea may be a function of age, since I have noticed a few of the Leptospermum flowers showing this characteristic.  The stamens of the Burgan are also a bit longer (and in my view more inclined to be wavy).  The leaves are also somewhat different when looked at closely.

However the easiest difference is in the fruit.  The Leptospermum fruit are like small 'gumnuts' and remain on the bush for a long time.

This led to Hacker's great insight:

"When you 'get' the nuts, the flowers and leaves soon follow."

This remark led to the University of Wagga Wagga awarding Jim an honorary DSc. In his later, political, career he followed this maxim closely, simply replacing "flowers and leaves" by "hearts and minds".