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Melaleuca viridiflora, broad-leaved paperbark, is a small tree native to woodlands, swamps and streams of monsoonal northern Australia and Papua New Guinea.

The leaves are thick, broadly elliptic, aromatic and 7–19 cm long. Flowers are cream, yellow or yellow-green spikes, 1.5-2.5 cm long. Fruits are woody capsules containing numerous fine seed. The bark is papery.

Uses

M. viridiflora is used by Aborigines for multiple uses. The bark is peeled off in layers and is used for shelter, bedding, containers, storing and cooking food, fire tinder, water craft, fish traps and wrapping corpses.

An infusion from leaves is drunk, inhaled or used for bathing to treat coughs, colds, congestion, headache, fever and influenza.^[1]

A methyl cinnamate/ocimene chemotype of M. viridiflora from western Cape York is used as a bushfood spice, and is called kitcha-kontoo.

Distribution

The species occurs in New Guinea and tropical areas of Australia, including northern parts of Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.^[2]

References

From Wikispecies

Taxonavigation

Classification System: APG II (down to family level)

Main Page
Cladus: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiospermae
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: core eudicots
Cladus: Rosids
Cladus: Eurosids I
Ordines: Unassigned Eurosids I
Cladus: Unassigned Rosids
Ordo: Myrtales
Familia: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species: Melaleuca viridiflora
Varieties: M. viridiflora var. attenuata - M. viridiflora var. canescens - M. viridiflora var. glabra

Name

Melaleuca viridiflora Sol. ex Gaertn.