Melaleuca ryeae

Melaleuca ryeae is a small shrub sometimes growing to 1.5–2.5 m (5–8 ft) tall with woolly hairs on the young growth. Its leaves are arranged alternately, mostly 3–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long, 0.5–1.5 mm (0.02–0.06 in) wide, flat and egg-shaped with the narrower end at the base. The flowers are a shade of pink, arranged in heads on the ends of most of the branches which continue to grow after flowering and sometimes also in the upper leaf axils. The heads are up to 25 mm (1 in) in diameter and contain 8 to 15 groups of flowers in threes. The petals are 2.5–3.3 mm (0.098–0.13 in) long and fall off as the flower matures. There are five bundles of stamens around the flower, each with 5 to 9 stamens. Flowering occurs in spring and is followed by fruit which are woody, cup-shaped capsules, 2.5–4 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and usually in almost spherical clusters along the stem.