About Melaleuca sieberi Schauer
Melaleuca sieberi is a small tree with white, grey or brown papery bark. It sometimes reaches 20 metres (70 feet) in height, but more usually grows to less than 10 metres (30 feet). Its leaves are arranged alternately along stems, are 4–15 mm (0.2–0.6 in) long and 0.8–4 mm (0.03–0.2 in) wide, shaped narrow elliptic to lance-shaped, and taper to a sharp point. The leaves are often covered with short, soft hairs, particularly when they are young. The flowers of this species are white or pinkish, arranged in spikes at the ends of branches; the branches continue to grow after flowering. The flower spikes hold 5 to 20 groups of flowers in threes, or sometimes hold individual flowers, and grow up to 20 mm (0.8 in) in diameter and 20 mm (0.8 in) in length. The flower buds are woolly. Stamens are arranged in five bundles around each flower, and each bundle contains 11 to 25 stamens. Flowering takes place in spring, and is followed by the development of fruit: woody, cup-shaped capsules 3–4.5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long, arranged in loose clusters. Melaleuca sieberi grows in coastal heath on sand, in coastal areas from New South Wales north of Gosford to near Maryborough in Queensland.
