About Amyema melaleucae (Lehm. ex Miq.) Tiegh.
Amyema melaleucae (Lehm. ex Miq.) Tiegh. is an erect shrub that grows with a single haustorium. Its leaves are narrow and lanceolate, measuring 20 to 45 mm in length and 2 to 4 (sometimes up to 7) mm in width. The leaves lack petioles and have rounded apices. Unlike many other species in the Amyema genus, the corolla of this species is smooth when in bud. The inflorescence is an umbel of triads, which are groups of three flowers, carried on a stalk called a peduncle. The central flower of each triad has no pedicel (flower stem), while the lateral flowers grow on angular pedicels. The corolla has a club shape. The flowers are pink and red, and can be seen from January to April, or from August to November. The fruit is almost spherical in shape. This plant grows in coastal scrub, and usually grows on Melaleuca species. Barlow (1984) and Paczkowska (1995) both state that it is only found on Melaleucas. However, an extensive examination of herbaria records carried out by Downey (1998) showed that it has also been found on Casuarina species, Myoporum species, Exocarpos species and Pittosporum species, as well as multiple Melaleuca species including Melaleuca cardiophylla, M. halmaturorum, M. lanceolata, M. parviflora, M. pauperiflora, Melaleuca pubescens (which equals M. lanceolata), M. quadrifaria and M. thyoides.
