Melaleuca

The plant genus Melaleuca is part of the Myrtle family (Myrtaceae) and presently contains about 170 species. However most experts believe that the addition of presently unnamed or incorrectly named species will result in a total of more than 200 members. Most are endemic to Australia but example occur in the wild as far afield as Indonesia, New Guinea, New Caledonia and even Malaysia.

The melaleucas are closely related to callistemons: the main difference between the genera is that the stamens are generally free in Callistemon but grouped into bundles in Melaleuca.

In the wild, melaleucas are generally found in open forest, woodland or shrubland, particularly along watercourses and the edges of swamps.

Common names of many Australasian genera are inaccurate and unhelpful. In consequence, the best-accepted common name for Melaleuca is simply melaleuca, however most of the larger species are known as paperbarks, and the smaller types as honey myrtles. Some melaleucas are used in the manufacture of essential oils and called "tea trees"—which is a misnomer, as "tea-tree" is the common name for Leptospermum, a related and superficially similar-looking genus.

Scientific studies have shown that "tea-tree oil" made from melaleuca alternifolia is a highly effective topical antibacterial and topical antifungal, although it may be toxic when ingested in large doses or by children.

Melaleucas are popular garden plants, both in Australia and worldwide. In the Florida everglades, Melaleuca quinquenervia has become a serious pest.

• Genus Melaleuca
  • M. alternifolia
  • M. viridiflora
  • M. cajuputi
  • (many others)