APPENDIX. 
TEA TREE OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 
Melaleuca ? trinervia. 
This is a fmall flirub, very much branched. The bark full 
of longitudinal fiflures, and ealily feparated from the branches. 
Leaves on fhort footftalks, alternate, lanceolate, pointed, entire, 
about three quarters of an inch in length, fmooth on both fides, 
marked with three longitudinal ribs, and reticulated with tranf- 
verfe veins ; they are alfo full of refinous fpots, the feat of an 
aromatic effential oil. The flowers we have not feen, nor can 
we determine with certainty the genus of this plant. It mofl: 
nearly approaches the Leptofpermum virgatum of Forfter, re- 
ferred by the younger Linnxus, perhaps improperly, to Mela- 
leuca. At lead it may fafely be determined to belong to the 
fame genus with the Melaleuca virgata Linn. Supp. though a 
diftindt fpecies. The fpecific difference between them is, that 
the leaves of our plant have three ribs, whereas M. virgata has 
leaves perfedtly deftitute of ribs or veins. Hence v^e judge the 
figure and defcription of Rumphius, Herb, Amboin. V. 2» 
t. 18. to belong rather to our Tea Tree, than to M. virgata; and 
if this conjedure be right, the plants are ftill further diftin- 
guifhed by the inflorefcence, which in M. virgata is an umbel, 
whereas in the figure above mentioned the flowers are folitary. 
a, Reprefents a leaf flightly magnified. 
SWEET 
