Melaleuca brevifolia

Straggling shrub to 2.5 m high; bark rough and corky. Leaves often in pairs but not decussate, c. 3–7 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, linear to narrowly oblanceolate, blunt, glands prominent below; petiole 0.25–0.5 mm long. Flower clusters 6–11 mm wide across the axis. Flowers solitary or in groups of 2–4 developing from a scaly bud and scattered (sometimes more or less continuous for up to 6 cm) along previous year’s growth, each flower subtended by 1 roundish, papery bract and often 2 bracteoles; stamens 7–10 per bundle, whitish, claw c. 1 mm long, free parts of filaments 2–5 mm long. Capsules 4–6 mm wide, wrinkled, corky and warty, sepals shed. Flowers spring–summer.