▁is ▁a ▁plant ▁in ▁the ▁my rt le ▁family , ▁My rt aceae , ▁and ▁is ▁native ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁of ▁Western ▁Australia . ▁It ▁is ▁distinguished ▁by ▁the ▁small ▁size ▁and ▁arrangement ▁of ▁its ▁leaves ▁combined ▁with ▁its ▁small ▁sp ikes ▁of ▁white ▁or ▁cre am ▁flowers . ▁ ▁Description ▁Mel ale uca ▁quadr if aria ▁grows ▁to ▁the ▁size ▁of ▁a ▁large ▁shr ub ▁up ▁to ▁ ▁tall ▁usually ▁with ▁dark ▁f ibr ous ▁b ark , ▁sometimes ▁with ▁g ey ▁or ▁brown ▁pap ery ▁b ark . ▁Its ▁leaves ▁are ▁small ▁and ▁arranged ▁in ▁altern ating ▁pairs ▁at ▁right ▁angles ▁to ▁those ▁above ▁and ▁below ▁( dec uss ate ) ▁so ▁that ▁they ▁form ▁four ▁rows ▁along ▁the ▁branches . ▁The ▁leaves ▁are ▁ ▁long , ▁ ▁wide , ▁narrow ▁o val ▁in ▁shape , ▁half - mo on ▁shape ▁in ▁cross - section ▁and ▁tap ering ▁to ▁a ▁bl unt ▁point ▁or ▁rounded ▁end . ▁ ▁The ▁flowers ▁are ▁white ▁or ▁cre am ▁and ▁are ▁arranged ▁in ▁small ▁heads ▁or ▁sp ikes ▁on ▁the ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁branches . ▁The ▁sp ikes ▁are ▁up ▁to ▁ ▁in ▁diameter ▁and ▁contain ▁ 2 ▁to ▁ 9 ▁groups ▁of ▁flowers ▁in ▁th rees . ▁The ▁stam ens ▁are ▁arranged ▁in ▁five ▁bund les ▁around ▁the ▁flower ▁with ▁ 9 ▁to ▁ 1 3 ▁stam ens ▁in ▁each ▁bundle . ▁The ▁main ▁flow ering ▁time ▁is ▁summer ▁and ▁is ▁followed ▁by ▁fruit ▁which ▁are ▁small , ▁roughly ▁spher ical , ▁wo ody