Skip to main content

Broad-leaved paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia)

Kayu putih buku or broad-leaved paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia) are small to medium sized trees in Myrtaceae, up to 20 m high, stems covered by thin white, cream, and gray paper skin. The leaves are arranged, flat, rough, spear-shaped, dull or green-gray, 55–120 mm long and 10–31 mm wide.

The flowers are packed in strands at the end of the branch and continue to grow after flowering, sometimes also in the upper leaf axils. Each strand contains 5 to 18 flower groups, diameters up to 40 mm and lengths of 20-50 mm. The petals are about 3 mm long and fall out when the flowers age.

Dlium Broad-leaved paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia)

Flowers are followed by woody fruits, shaped cylindrical capsules wide, 2.5-4 mm long and in groups. Each capsule contains many small seeds that appear every year. M. quinquenervia has proven to be a different chemical form and is widely used traditionally. Drinks are made from young aromatic leaves to treat colds, headaches, and common ailments.

Leaf oil from chemotype cineole is used externally for coughs, colds, neuralgia, and rheumatism. Nerolidol and linalool chemotypes are also cultivated and distilled on a small scale for fragrances. Bark like paper is used traditionally to make coolamons, shelter and wrap baked goods.



Nectar is traditionally extracted by washing in water and consumed as a drink. Scented flowers also produce yellow honey, very flavorful although not considered a high-quality honey but popular. Essential oils for various cosmetic products, antiseptic and antibacterial agents for bladder infections, respiratory problems and inflammation of the nasal mucous membranes.

Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Myrtales
Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Melaleuca
Species: M. quinquenervia

Popular Posts

Six new species forming the Sumbana species group in genus Nemophora Hoffmannsegg 1798 from Indonesia

NEWS - Sumbawa longhorn ( Nemophora sumbana Kozlov, sp. nov.), Timor longhorn ( Nemophora timorella Kozlov, sp. nov.), shining shade longhorn ( Nemophora umbronitidella Kozlov, sp. nov.), Wegner longhorn ( Nemophora wegneri Kozlov, sp. nov.), long brush longhorn ( Nemophora longipeniculella Kozlov, sp. nov.), and short brush longhorn ( Nemophora brevipeniculella Kozlov, sp. nov.) from the Lesser Sunda Islands in Indonesia. The Lesser Sunda Islands consist of two parallel, linear oceanic island chains, including Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores, Sumba, Sawu, Timor, Alor, and Tanimbar. The oldest of these islands have been continuously occurring for 10–12 million years. This long period of isolation has allowed significant in situ diversification, making the Lesser Sundas home to many endemic species. This island chain may act as a two-way filter for organisms migrating between the world's two great biogeographic regions, Asia and Australia-Papua. The recognition of a striking cli...

Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum)

Ranti or black nightshade ( Solanum nigrum ) is a species of plant in the Solanaceae, shrub and short-lived, stems erect or lying on the ground, berries have a black color when ripe, grows in forests, agricultural land and disturbed habitats. S. nigrum has stems erect or lying at ground level, 30–120 cm (12 to 47 in) long, branched, tubular with several linear grooves forming a cone, green and white-haired. Leaves are elliptical to heart-shaped, 4-7.5 cm long, 2-5 cm wide, pinnate base, pointed or blunt tip, wavy edge or large toothed, dark green upper side, pale underside, hairy or hairless and has a stalk with a length of 1-3 cm. Flowers have greenish to whitish petals, curved when old and surrounded by bright yellow anthers. The berries are mostly 6-8 mm in diameter and are green then turn dull black or black purple or red. Black nightshade grows well with a soil pH of 5.5-6.5 and is rich in organic matter. It is difficult to grow under conditions of high temperature and high hum...

Redflower ragleaf (Crassocephalum crepidioides)

Sintrong or ebolo or thickhead or redflower ragleaf ( Crassocephalum crepidioides ) are plant species in Asteraceae, terma height 25-100 cm, white fibrous roots, generally grow wild on the roadside, yard gardens or abandoned lands at altitude 200- 2500 m. C. crepidioides has erect or horizontal stems along the soil surface, vascular, soft, non-woody, shallow grooves, green, rough surface and short white hair, aromatic fragrance when squeezed. Petiole is spread on stems, tubular and eared. Single leaf, spread out, green, 8-20 cm long, 3-6 cm wide, longitudinal or round inverted eggshell with a narrow base along the stalk. Pointed tip, flat-edged or curved to pinnate, jagged rough and pointed. The top leaves are smaller and often sit. Compound flowers grow throughout the year in humps that are arranged in terminal flat panicles and androgynous. Green cuffs with orange-brown to brick-red tips, cylindrical for 13-16 mm long and 5-6 mm wide. The crown is yellow with a brownish red...