▁are ▁ ▁long , ▁ ▁wide , ▁narrow ▁linear ▁in ▁shape ▁and ▁flat ▁to ▁channel led ▁or ▁semi - circ ular ▁in ▁cross ▁section . ▁There ▁is ▁a ▁mid - ve in ▁but ▁the ▁later al ▁ve ins ▁are ▁incon sp ic uous . ▁ ▁The ▁flowers ▁are ▁a ▁sh ade ▁of ▁red , ▁rarely ▁green ▁and ▁arranged ▁in ▁sp ikes ▁on ▁the ▁ends ▁of ▁branches ▁that ▁continue ▁to ▁grow ▁after ▁flow ering ▁and ▁also ▁on ▁the ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁branches . ▁The ▁sp ikes ▁are ▁ ▁in ▁diameter ▁and ▁ ▁long ▁with ▁ 2 0 ▁to ▁ 9 0 ▁individual ▁flowers . ▁The ▁pet als ▁are ▁ ▁long ▁and ▁fall ▁off ▁as ▁the ▁flower ▁ages ▁and ▁there ▁are ▁ 2 3 – 7 3 ▁stam ens ▁in ▁each ▁flower . ▁Flow ering ▁occurs ▁from ▁late ▁spring ▁to ▁early ▁summer ▁and ▁is ▁followed ▁by ▁f ruits ▁that ▁are ▁wo ody ▁caps ules , ▁ ▁long . ▁ ▁Tax onomy ▁and ▁naming ▁Mel ale uca ▁linear is ▁was ▁first ▁formally ▁described ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 6 ▁by ▁Heinrich ▁Sch r ader ▁and ▁Johann ▁Christoph ▁Wend land ▁in ▁S ert um ▁Hannover an um . ▁The ▁specific ▁ep ith et ▁( linear is ) ▁is ▁a ▁Latin ▁word ▁linear is ▁meaning ▁" linear " ▁in ▁reference ▁to ▁the ▁shape ▁of ▁the ▁leaves ▁of ▁this ▁species . ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁two ▁vari eties : ▁ ▁Mel ale uca ▁linear is ▁var . ▁linear is ▁has ▁leaves ▁that ▁are ▁more ▁than ▁ ▁wide , ▁usually ▁