any shrub or tree of the mostly Australian myrtaceous genus Melaleuca, found in sandy or swampy regions
Word origin
C19: New Latin, from Greek melas black + leukos white, from its black trunk and white branches
melaleuca in American English
(ˌmeləˈluːkə)
noun
any of various chiefly Australian shrubs or trees belonging to the genus Melaleuca, of the myrtle family, including the cajeput and several species of bottlebrush
Word origin
[‹ NL (Linnaeus), irreg. coinage from Gk mélā(s) black + leuke᷄, fem. of leukós white; so called from its black trunk and white branches]
Examples of 'melaleuca' in a sentence
melaleuca
Melaleuca styphelioides, known as the prickly-leaf tea tree, contains a variety of bioactive compounds.
Ferdaous Albouchi, Rosanna Avola, Gianluigi Maria Lo Dico, Vittorio Calabrese, AdrianaCarol Eleonora Graziano, Manef Abderrabba, Venera Cardile 2018, 'Melaleuca styphelioides Sm. Polyphenols Modulate Interferon Gamma/Histamine-InducedInflammation in Human NCTC 2544 Keratinocytes', Moleculeshttp://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/23/10/2526. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
The films containing melaleuca and citronella did not inhibit the microbial growth of any microorganisms tested.
Chaiane Regina Rech, Silvia Maria Martelli, Bárbara Ellen Bagnara e Silva, Kelly Cristinada Silva Brabes 2018, 'Antimicrobial Analysis and Characterization of P(3HB) Films Containing Essential oils',Orbital: The Electronic Journal of Chemistryhttp://www.orbital.ufms.br/index.php/Chemistry/article/view/1007. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)
Melaleuca alternifolia oil has shown medicinal importance by demonstrating antifungal and bactericidal action against proven human pathogens.
Maiara GIONGO, Rogério Aparecido Minini dos SANTOS, Sandra Mara MACIEL, Marina deLourdes Calvo FRACASSO, Fausto Rodrigo VICTORINO 2017, 'Analysis of pH and release of calcium of association between melaleuca alternifoliaoil and calcium hydroxide', Revista de Odontologia da UNESPhttp://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1807-25772017000200104&lng=en&tlng=en. Retrieved from DOAJ CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode)