"Shrub or small tree to 10 m high with hard, rough bark, young branchlets pubescent. Leaves alternate, linear to narrow-elliptic, 5–15 mm long, 1–3 mm wide..." (PlantNet)

Melaleuca lanceolata may be better known from southern parts of Australia, from Victoria, South Australia and southern Western Australia where it is encountered along much of the coastline. It is granted the common name "Rottnest Teatree" due to its prevalence there. In Queensland however this taxon is mostly found in western areas of the southeast on gilgai or melon-hole country. Here it can be seen alongside, and may be confused with Melaleuca bracteata. These areas are characterised by their heavy, reactive soils and may be temporarily water-logged during flood years. Of value to seed collectors may be the following by Val Hando in her book, "Wildflowers of Southeast Queensland", where in reference to Melaleuca lanceolata she noted, "Easily confused with Melaleuca bracteata which has slightly twisted leaves that are broader at the base and taper to a point."

In our experience, both taxa will fruit well after good rains and the morphology of the capsules will also aid differentiation. Fruit retention is good over subsequent wet years and several crops may be retained on trees for better yields.

PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au [Accessed: Dec 27, 2020]

https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Melaleuca~lanceolata

Hando, Valerie M. Wildflowers of Southeast Inland Queensland, pages 32-33.