Australia So Much to See

Sources used for identification of wildflowers including Aboriginal names shown on these pages, and regions where they occur, are listed under Credits

These pages will feature some of the wildflowers we have photographed in Western Australia, and where possible, identified. If you are able to help identify further flowers, or correct any I may have wrong, please contact us.

Information given for each species will give botanical name, known common names, describe the flower, give time of year it was seen, where it was photographed, and the areas it occurs in. Names have been matched to Florabase which has also been used to show distribution.

See some of these wildflowers in larger sized photos on our Flickr pages.

Home > Lists and Links > Nature in Australia > Alphabetical Wildflower Index > Wildflowers M-1d

Melaleuca huegelii Chenille Honeymyrtle

A mainly white honeymyrtle flower which protrudes above the foliage of the shrub, and flowers progressively open up to the tip of the bud

Spring

Lancelin, Shire of Gingin, Wheatbelt region,and occurs in the coastal sandplains from Shark Bay to Augusta.

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Melaleuca lanceolata, Rottnest Island Tea Tree, Black Paperbark, Moonah, Western Black Tea Tree, Dryland Tea Tree

A large shrub with flowers like a white bottle brush near the ends of the stems

Summer

Above left at Augusta and above right at Margaret River, in the South West of Western Australia, and found widespread near the coast from the Peron Peninsula around to the South Australian Border, and inland through the Wheatbelt, Goldfields and parts of the Great Southern regions.

Melaleuca longistaminea 2010 (formerly Melaleuca cardiophylla var. longistaminea), Long-stamened Paperbark and Long-stamened Melaleuca.

Lime green to yellow flower heads on the sides of the branches. The flower heads are up to four and a half centimetres across in diameter, with five to fifteen individual flowers. Shrubs are many branched and grow up to two metres in height. Leaves alternative up the smooth stems and are short, wide at base and tapering to a fine sharp point at the tip, recurving backwards. Leaves may be edged with red, and rear of leave red tinged. New growth branchlets may be red.

August

Tardun, Mid West region, Western Australia, and occurs through the Mid West within little more than 200 kilometres of the coast, and at localities in the northern Wheatbelt north of Wongan Hills and within 300 kilometres of the coast.

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Melaleuca radula, Graceful Honey-myrtle, white variation.

A pink, mauve or white Melaleuca with delicate open flower heads, with the green to yellow style on each flower being prominent. Shrubs may grow to 2.5 metres high, and foliage grows up the stems, mostly paired with each pair at right angles to the previous pair. Leaves are long and slender tapering to a point, and curve forward from the centre leaf vein.

August

Wongan Hills, Wheatbelt region, Western Australia. Grows through the western Mid West, through the Wheatbelt, and into western parts of the Goldfields.

Melaleuca nematophylla, Wiry Honey-myrtle

Round pink fluffy flowers on a low growing shrub with needle like leaves. This specimen as at the end of its flowering season and browning off.
This is similar to Melaleuca filifolia, Wiry Honey Myrtle. The fruits of Melaleuca nematophylla are said to be in an irregular peg-like cluster, while the fruits of Melaleuca filifolia are said to be in a distinct "soccer-ball" formation. No fruit was observed.

August September

Marchagee Nature Reserve, Wheatbelt region and Kalbarri and Tardun in the Mid West region, Western Australia.

Melaleuca nematophylla occurs through the Mid West, northern Wheatbelt and into the western edge of the Goldfields region.

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Melaleuca filifolia occurs through Mid West in areas north of Geraldton, so the Kalbarri specimen could be either species.

Melaleuca fulgens subsp. steedmanii, Scarlet Honey Myrtle. In 1990 Melaleuca fulgens was split into three subspecies.

Large red flowering Melaleuca shrub, growing up to three metres tall. Clusters of vivid red flowers with yellow anthers. Base of each flower is spotted. Can be found in shades of pink. Leaves are edged in reddish tan, and are oblong and terminate in a slightly point tip and mostly opposite.

August

Tardun, Mid West region, Western Australia, and found in areas of the Mid West and the Wheatbelt.

Melaleuca rhaphiophylla, Swamp Paperbark, Freshwater Paperbark, Yowarl, Bibool Boorn, Yiembak.

A tall paperbark tree which grows up to ten metres, which grows along watercourse or in swamps. Salt tolerant. Small white bottlebrush flowers. Foliage long and needle-like, and leaves alternating.
Rhaphis means needle and phylla means leaves.

Seen in November, but can flower at other times of year.

Boyup Brook, and common in wet or damp areas close to the coast from Kalbarri to Ravensthorpe, and extending inland through much of the Wheatbelt, South West and Great Southern regions

See more Melaleuca species on the next page