172 MYRTACEAE Melaleuca 
M. leucadendra and M. cajuputi are amongst the tallest and best formed species of trees in the Top End. The 
latter and perhaps both of these species have been utilised by traditional people for dugout canoes (Specht, 
1958; Levitt, 1981). These and other Melaleucas have been cut for sawn timber and round poles. The 
traditional uses of the papery bark of many species are manifold. It is used for shelters, containers, for the 
wrapping of food in cooking, for starting fires and-for any activity which requires clean waterproof sheeting. 
All species have oils in their leaves with M. cajuputi the best known source of traditional and commercial 
medicinal oils. [Specht, 1958; Wightman & Smith 1989; Smith & Wightman 1990] 
KEY BASED ON VEGETATIVE CHARACTERS 
1. Inflorescence a globular or OVOId head ...........scssssssesesscecenecesesesesessesssseeseneereneneeenataeeesenenes 2 
1 eeelntlorescence aispikessmerrtstie.cscccsssrssesertsterrtettetivesteceersestsense;ztasensastanastrearfarrsrstasnsasvensed 3 
2. Fruiting head 10-16 mm wide; stamens 12-15 mm ION «1... eeteteseeeeteeneneeteeenens Asteromyrtus 
2. Fruiting head <10 mm wide; stamens 3-8 mm ION ....... esses teteeseeeeteseseseeeneaeaneeeenenens M. acacioides 
3. New leaves covered with crisped hairs ...........csssscssscsseesserereneeesessescseenssscecevessssscasanensssaeaes M. dealbata 
3. New leaves covered with predominantly straight hairs .........eeseseeeeetseseseetenesteeeeeenenees 4 
4. Hairs on new leaves mostly spreading ...........s.sssssssscseresssssessssseserseesesecsesssssssceesesseessnesseenees M. cajuputi 
4. Hairs on new leaves adpressed .............scscscssssssscscsssssssesssessssessseenensecscesecssosvsossessecsseasesseneess is 
5. Leaf blades 5-15 times as long as wide; 
Stamens */-15 mm ONG 4..45.2:-....sscecscessoecesscscsesessessoassstecocsezessearseeserecsebcareronensacaserotssaeeserss 6 
5. Leaf blades 3-9 times as long as wide; 
StamenSilA-23i mm lOngerrrercsescesseccersccesentecseseeviestossesicsssisssseesesesesstanitrsbesssrsesabsressatssnnsees 7 
6. Hypanthium and sepals glabrous ...........:scccssscscssssssssssesscessscecssecscscecsssssssrsrererersssesssseseasaces M. leucadendra 
6.  Hypanthium and sepals pubescent ........s.sscsessessssseseestsssssessssssssssssssssesenecsscensenneenecenceneces M. argentea 
7. Leaves mostly oblanceolate, 7-31 mM Wide .........scccsecesssssseeseessseseessesenenenenensnenenensneeenee M. nervosa 
7. Leaves elliptic or narrowly elliptic, 22-55 MM WIE ...........secseecseseeseceeseeseseeeeneerenteneneenenee M. viridiflora 
KEY BASED ON FLOWER CHARACTERS 
1 ne BIO WETSIIN ADEA Mrecsretsterstststitcetrstecestssssersrtetecrscrrrctcrersetertreseserattrrtt test iri riescststsseerereeyeriee M. acacioides 
Peas FIO WETS aS PiKestererirerteserseiettocttncecertrstitovertrttiscectetattstct rerreroeterTesresersteaterereettecate ttt trs for 2 
2 eee Stamens most] yar] Simm ONG eressseersrcsestrteecresseetvvsresetssrerertststeevescetesyeerterackoerastatevesrscctteeties 3 
2. Stamens <15 mm long 4 
3. Stamens 3-6 per bundle; leaves 40-95 mm long M. nervosa 
3. Stamens 6-10 per bundle; leaves (55)95-170 mm long .......s.esseseeseeeeeeeeseenes 2 M. viridiflora 
Hypanthium ‘and ‘sepals: glabrousye....secesssssssesssstsescecsestoestoteaes¢sencocssesesencesessocecsrascesesceatesect® M. leucadendra 
Hypanthium and sepals pubescent 5 
Number of stamens per bundle 4-6; young leaves with crisped hairs ..........ssssseeseerseseesees M. dealbata 
Number of stamens per bundle >6; young leaves with straight hairs ..........csssssseeeeseesees 6 
Inflorescence 20-25 mm wide; spike + dense; hairs of young leaves spreading; 
Jeavest3=7itimestastl OND taSswiGearttentesrsscsttteersscrziterttrapiorctacetecsretetentererersertasttersict creetenrts M. cajuputi 
Inflorescence >25 mm wide; spikes interrupted; hairs of young leaves appressed; 
leaves 6.5-13 times as long as wide 
M. argentea 
late, spathulate or narrowly elliptic, apiculate, the 
young leaves softly pilose soon becoming glabrous, 
15-80 mm long, 4-14 mm wide. Inflorescence 
M. acacioides F.Muell. 
Shrub or small tree, 2-5 m high; bark papery, firm, 
not flaky. Leaves oblanceolate to narrowly oblanceo- 
