1	"Leaves usually less than 4 mm long, sessile, appressed."	"Melaleuca irbyana"
1	"Leaves mostly more than 5 mm long, petiolate or sessile."	2
2	"Leaves opposite or more or less opposite."	3
2	"Leaves scattered, alternate or irregularly arranged (including irregularly whorled)."	11
3	"Flowers red; staminal bundles more than 20 mm long."	"Melaleuca hypericifolia"
3	"Flowers mauve, pink, white or yellowish; staminal bundles less than 20 mm long."	4
4	"Inflorescences lateral from older stems."	5
4	"Inflorescences terminal, subterminal or in the upper axils."	6
5	"Flowers white (sometimes tinged with pink), in few-flowered clusters."	"Melaleuca acuminata"
5	"Flowers pink to deep mauve, in short spikes."	"Melaleuca thymifolia"
6	"Stamens with claw usually less than 3 mm long, each bundle consisting of up to 20 stamens."	7
6	"Stamens with claw usually more than 4 mm long, each bundle with more than 30 stamens."	10
7	"Leaves with 5–7 longitudinal veins, ovate to broad-ovate."	"Melaleuca squarrosa"
7	"Leaves with 3 longitudinal veins, sometimes obscurely so, linear to broad-ovate."	8
8	"Leaves channelled on upper surface, convex on each side of the midvein."	"Melaleuca biconvexa"
8	"Leaves not channelled, upper surface flat or concave."	9
9	"Leaves ovate, at least 2 mm wide; inflorescences a few-flowered spikes or heads, less than 1 cm long."	"Melaleuca tortifolia"
9	"Leaves linear to narrow-ovate, less than 2 mm wide; inflorescences many-flowered spikes, more than 2 cm long."	"Melaleuca densispicata"
10	"Staminal claws 8–15 mm long; fruit with included valves."	"Melaleuca linariifolia"
10	"Staminal claws 4–8 mm long; fruit usually with exserted valves."	"Melaleuca trichostachya"
11	"Fruit in tight globose or ellipsoidal clusters; flowers in globose heads or short spikes."	12
11	"Fruit scattered or in cylindrical groups; flowers in spikes or terminal clusters."	14
12	"Leaves and calyx lobes pubescent."	"Melaleuca glomerata"
12	"Leaves and calyx lobes glabrous or glabrescent."	13
13	"Leaves with apex curved or hooked, leaves terete."	"Melaleuca uncinata"
13	"Leaves with apex straight, leaves mostly flat."	"Melaleuca nodosa"
14	"Leaves flat, more than 3 cm long, petiolate, usually with 5 prominent longitudinal veins."	"Melaleuca quinquenervia"
14	"Leaves not as above."	15
15	"Leaves sessile, acute to acuminate, with more than 4 longitudinal veins (sometimes obscure)."	16
15	"Leaves at least shortly petiolate, usually 1-veined (except Melaleuca squamea)."	17
16	"Leaves narrow-ovate to ovate, 1–3 mm wide, with 5–11 longitudinal veins; bark hard."	"Melaleuca bracteata"
16	"Leaves ovate to broad-ovate, 2–6 mm wide, with more than 11 longitudinal veins; bark papery."	"Melaleuca styphelioides"
17	"Leaves more than 3 mm wide."	18
17	"Leaves less than 3 mm wide."	20
18	"Hypanthia and rachis of inflorescences more or less glabrous."	"Melaleuca groveana"
18	"Hypanthia and rachis of inflorescences markedly hairy."	19
19	"Fruit 5–7 mm diam."	"Melaleuca deanei"
19	"Fruit 3–5 mm diam."	"Melaleuca sieberi"
20	"Leaves terete, c. 0.5 mm diam.; flowers pink."	"Melaleuca erubescens"
20	"Leaves flat or lower surface concave, c. 1–2 mm wide; flowers white to pink or purple."	21
21	"Staminal claw more than 5 mm long."	22
21	"Staminal claw up to 4 mm long."	23
22	"Inflorescences terminal or axillary, borne at the ends of branchlets; bark papery."	"Melaleuca alternifolia"
22	"Inflorescences axillary, borne low on the branchlets; bark corky or hard."	"Melaleuca armillaris"
23	"Young branchlets and inflorescences with villous rachis."	24
23	"Young branchlets and inflorescences with pubescent rachis."	25
24	"Leaves with 3–5 longitudinal veins; flowers purple to pink."	"Melaleuca squamea"
24	"Leaves with only 1 vein; flowers white or pale yellow."	"Melaleuca capitata"
25	"Bark papery or fibrous-papery."	26
25	"Bark hard, rough or corky."	28
26	"Leaves linear; staminal claw to 2 mm long."	"Melaleuca ericifolia"
26	"Leaves narrow-elliptic; staminal claw 2–3.5 mm long."	27
27	"Leaves with ar least 1 conspicuous vein; stamens 20–40 per bundle; sepals not persistent in fruit."	"Melaleuca decora"
27	"Leaves with 1 obscure vein; stamens 11–25 per bundle; sepals more or less persistent in fruit."	"Melaleuca sieberi"
28	"Leaves linear; stamens 4–7 per bundle; fruit 2–4 mm diam. ; leaves with raised oil glands."	"Melaleuca parvistaminea"
28	"Leaves linear to narrow-elliptic; stamens 8–14 per bundle; fruit 4–5 mm diam.; leaves with small oil glands"	"Melaleuca lanceolata"