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biodiversity explorer

the web of life in southern Africa

Genus: Melaleuca

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Rosids > Eurosid II > Order: Myrtales > Family: Myrtaceae

Over 200 species, native mainly to Australia but also Malesia and New Caledonia. Twenty-seven species are cultivated in southern Africa. Melaleuca alternifolia is the main sourced of tea tree oil.

Species cultivated in southern Africa

List from Glen (2002).

Melaleuca alternifolia (Narrow-leaved paperbark, Narrow-leaved tea-tree, Narrow-leaved ti-tree, Snow-in-summer)

Native to eastern Australia. The most important source of tea tree oil, which has antibacterial and antifungal properties and is used in deodorants, shampoos, lotions, soaps and antiseptics. See Wikipedia

 

Melaleuca armillaris (Bracelet honey myrtle)

Native to southeastern Australia.

 

Melaleuca bracteata (Black tea tree, River tea tree)

Native to Australia.

 

Melaleuca cuticularis

Native to southwestern Australia.

 

Melaleuca decora

Native to eastern Australia.

 

Melaleuca decussata

Native to southeastern Australia.

 

Melaleuca diosmifolia

Native to eastern Australia.

Melaleuca elliptica

Native to southwestern Australia.

 

Melaleuca ericifolia (Heath myrtle)

Native to southeastern Australia.

 

Melaleuca fulgens

Native to southwestern Australia.

 

Melaleuca hamulosa

Native to western Australia.

 

Melaleuca huegelii

Native to western Australia.

 

Melaleuca hypericifolia

Native to southeastern Australia.

 

Melaleuca incana

Native to southwestern Australia.

 

Melaleuca lanceolata (Western tea tree, Moonah)

Native to southern Australia.

Melaleuca lateritia

Native to southwestern Australia.

 

Melaleuca leucadendron (Long-leaved paperbark)

Native to Australia and Malesia.

 

Melaleuca linariifolia (Flax-leaved myrtle)

Native to eastern Australia.

 

Melaleuca nesophila (Tea myrtle)

Native to western Australia.

 

Melaleuca nodosa (Pricklyleaf paperbark)

Native to eastern Australia.

 

Melaleuca pauperiflora

Native to western and southern Australia.

 

Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cajeput tree, Punk tree)

Native to Australia and New Guinea.

 

Melaleuca rhapiophylla

Native to western and southern Australia.

 

Melaleuca styphelioides (Prickly paperbark)

Native to eastern Australia.

Melaleuca styphelioides (Prickly paperbark)

Melaleuca tenella

Native to western Australia.

 

Melaleuca teretifolia

Native to western Australia.

 

Melaleuca thymiflora

Native to eastern Australia.

 

Links

Publications

  • Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated Plants of Southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.