Melaleuca fluviatilis is a plant in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae and is endemic to northern Queensland in Australia. It is a tree with papery bark, narrow leaves and spikes of white or creamy-coloured flowers, usually growing along streams and rivers. It is common in tropical areas and is sometimes confused with Melaleuca argentea although it lacks that species' silvery foliage.
Melaleuca fluviatilis is a tree growing up to 30sigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 tall with white or greyish papery bark and weeping habit. Its leaves are arranged alternately, NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 wide, very narrow elliptical in shape and with 5 to 7 parallel veins. Both surfaces of the leaf are covered with fine, soft hairs when young but become glabrous as they mature.
The flowers are white to creamy green and arranged in spikes in the upper leaf axils. Each spike contains 3 to 18 groups of flowers in threes and is up to 100sigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 long and 40sigfig=2NaNsigfig=2 in diameter. The petals are NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long and fall off after the flower opens. The stamens are arranged in five bundles around the flower, each bundle containing 3 to 9 stamens. Flowers appear from May to October and are followed by fruit which are woody capsules NaNsigfig=1NaNsigfig=1 long.[1] [2]
Melaleuca fluviatilis was first formally described in 1997 by Bryan Barlow in Nomen from a specimen found in a sandy river bed north of Townsville.[3] [4] The specific epithet (fluviatilis) is a Latin adjective meaning "pertaining to rivers".
This melaleuca is found throughout the Cape York Peninsula and as far south as Gladstone and Biloela, and as far west as Croydon, Boodjamulla National Park and Forest Den National Park. It grows in a range of soils but usually along rivers and streams and the edges of swampy open forest, often in association with rainforest or dry sclerophyll species.[5]