Granite bottlebrush

Description

Melaleuca elliptica is a shrub with pale grey, papery bark usually growing to no more than 4.5 m (10 ft) high and 2 m (7 ft) wide. Its leaves are arranged in alternating pairs (decussate), each pair at right angles to the ones above and below so that there are four rows of leaves along the stems. The leaves are elliptic to egg-shaped with the ends usually rounded, and 5.9-19.6 mm (0.2-0.8 in) long, 3-10 mm (0.1-0.4 in) wide with a short stalk.