Australian Native Plants

  Melaleuca styphelioides (Prickly Paperbark)


Melaleuca styphelioides photo
Melaleuca styphelioides (cultivated) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Photograph by Melburnian. Some rights reserved.    (view image details)




PRICKLY PAPERBARK FACTS

distribution map showing range of Melaleuca styphelioides in Australia

Map is from The Atlas of Living Australia web site, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia License


Common Name
Prickly Paperbark

Description
The Prickly Paperbark or Prickly-leaved Tea Tree is a tall upright shrub or tree with papery white or light brown bark that peels off in large strips. The leaves are alternate and ovate, growing to 7mm to 15mm long and 3mm to 6mm wide. There are 15-30 veins along the length of the leaves. The leaves have pointed tips. Flowers are produced in 2cm long bottlebrush-shaped flower spikes in spring and summer. the flowers are usually in groups of three. Petals are almost circular and about 1mm to 2mm long. The ovoid fruits are grey-brown, woody capsules and about 2mm to 3mm in diameter.

Habitat
Grows in moist locations such as creek banks

Distribution
New South Wales, Queensland,

Growth Characteristics
Height: 8m - 10m
Spread: 6m - 8m

Propagation
seed

Wildlife Interest
attracts seed eating birds and insect eating birds

Classification
Class:Magnoliopsida
Order:Myrtales
Family:Myrtaceae
Genus:Melaleuca
Species:styphelioides
Common Name:Prickly Paperbark


Relatives in same Genus
  Melaleuca acuminata
  Melaleuca adnata
  Melaleuca alternifolia
  Melaleuca argentea
  Melaleuca armillaris
  Melaleuca aspalathoides
  Melaleuca barlowii
  Melaleuca blaeriifolia
  Melaleuca bracteata
  Melaleuca brevifolia
  Melaleuca bromelioides
  Melaleuca calothamnoides
  Melaleuca calycina
  Melaleuca campanae
  Melaleuca cardiophylla
  Melaleuca carrii
  Melaleuca coccinea
  Melaleuca concreta
  Melaleuca conothamnoides
  Melaleuca cordata
  Melaleuca cucullata
  see A-Z list for more ...