Snow-in-summer

Appearance

"Melaleuca linariifolia" is a small tree growing to a height of 6–10 m with distinctive and attractive white or creamy white, papery bark and a dense canopy. Its leaves are arranged in alternating pairs, glabrous except when very young, 17–45 mm long, 1–4 mm wide, linear to lance-shaped and with a distinct mid-vein.

The flowers are white to creamy-white, perfumed and arranged in spikes on the ends of branches which continue to grow after flowering, sometimes also in the upper leaf axils. Each spike is up to 40 mm wide and long and contains 4 to 20 individual flowers. The petals are 2.5–3.3 mm long and fall off as the flower matures. The stamens are arranged in five bundles around the flower and each bundle contains 32 to 73 stamens.

The flowers cover the tree over a relatively short period, between October and February and are followed by fruit which are woody capsules, 2.5–4 mm long and 4–5 mm long scattered along the stems. The fruiting capsules have valves which do not project beyond the rim of the capsule.

Naming

"Melaleuca linariifolia" was first formally described in 1797 by James Edward Smith in "Transactions of the Linnean Society of London". Smith noted that "This, we are told by Mr White, is a large tree, the bark of which is very thick and spongy, serving the purpose of tinder." The specific epithet "linariifolia" means "with leaves like "Linaria"".

Distribution

Snow-in-summer occurs from the Maryborough district in Queensland to Bawley Point in the Ulladulla district in New South Wales. There is also a disjunct population in the Blackdown Tableland National Park in Queensland. It is found in heath and dry sclerophyll forest habitats, usually growing near watercourses or swamps.