1	"Character combination not as above"	"Melaleuca species not of the M. uncinata complex"
1	"Leaves twisted through up to 180 degrees (rarely all leaves of a specimen untwisted), leaf apex recurved (rarely straight, or incurved when the leaf is untwisted); inflorescence a pseudoterminal head or spike, the flowers in triads subtended by a deciduous bract; staminal filaments pale lemon or whitish yellow; ovules 7–38 per locule (M. uncinata complex)"	2
2	"Leaves with the large oil glands in rows along the corners or sides of the blade (the smaller glands scattered through the plane faces of the blade"	3
2	"Leaves without oil glands in rows (the large and smaller glands scattered)"	4
3	"Leaf blade quadrate in transverse section; bark at the base of the major stems soft, papery, flaking"	"Melaleuca uncinata"
3	"Leaf blade oblenticular or variously transversely elliptic or transversely oblong in transverse section; bark at the base of the major stems hard, fibrous, persistent"	"Melaleuca stereophloia"
4	"Bark of branches and trunk peeling in large papery curls (similar to Minni Ritchi bark but coarser) and the stems becoming smooth"	"Melaleuca exuvia"
4	"Bark of branches and trunk persistent or peeling in large flakes, the stems never becoming smooth"	5
5	"Leaf blade transversely linear, sublunate or transversely narrowly oblong in transverse section (i.e. leaf blades ‘flat’)"	6
5	"Leaf blade otherwise in transverse section (circular, subcircular, depressed obovate, transversely elliptic, or transversely broadly elliptic)"	8
6	"Calyx lobes hairy on the abaxial surface"	"Melaleuca zeteticorum"
6	"Calyx lobes glabrous on the abaxial surface"	7
7	"Petals caducous; staminal filaments 3–4.5 mm long"	"Melaleuca vinnula"
7	"Petals deciduous; staminal filaments 4.2–9.2 mm long"	"Melaleuca concreta"
8	"Style 2.5–3.3 mm long; petals broadly obovate; stamens 2–3.7 mm long"	"Melaleuca atroviridis"
8	"Style 3.6–11.5 mm long; petals circular, subcircular, or broadly ovate; stamens 2.5–9.1 mm long"	9
9	"Infructescence with the constituent fruits ‘peg-like’ and retaining a significant separate identity (the fruiting hypanthia divergent with respect to their closest neighbours)"	"Melaleuca interioris"
9	"Infructescence with the constituent fruits closely packed and not retaining a significant separate identity (the fruiting hypanthia closely packed for their full length)"	10
10	"Calyx lobes glabrous on the abaxial surface"	11
10	"Calyx lobes hairy on the abaxial surface"	14
11	"Leaf blade transversely linear, sublunate or depressed obovate in transverse section"	"Melaleuca concreta"
11	"Leaf blade circular, subcircular, transversely elliptic or depressed obovate in transverse section"	12
12	"Leaf blade 0.7–0.9 mm wide; ovules 14–17 per locule (coastal and subcoastal region S of Perth; style 5.5–8.2 mm long; calyx lobes scarious throughout; infructescence 6.5–8 mm wide; inflorescence with 4–9 triads)"	"Melaleuca osullivanii"
12	"Leaf blade 0.8–1.6 mm wide; ovules 15–38 per locule (interior of south-western WA)"	13
13	"Style 6.5–11.5 mm long; leaf blade 0.8–1.6 mm wide; ovules 20–38 per locule; calyx lobes distinctly free from each other, herbaceous in the proximal-central zone and scarious in a broad marginal band or scarious throughout; infructescence6.5–12 mm wide; inflorescence with 5–15 triads"	"Melaleuca hamata"
13	"Style 4.8–5.7 mm long; leaf blade 0.8–1.5 mm wide; ovules 15–18 per locule; calyx lobes indistinctly free from each other, herbaceous in the proximal-central zone and scarious in a broad marginal band or scarious throughout; infructescence6–8 mm wide; inflorescence with 5–14 triads"	"Melaleuca scalena"
14	"Style 3.6–5.1 mm long; staminal filaments 2.7–4 mm long"	"Melaleuca zeteticorum"
14	"Style 6.5–11.5 mm long; staminal filaments 4–9.1 mm long"	"Melaleuca hamata"