Tree ID Please

I would be most grateful if someone could identify this tree for me:

Not sure but it could be a Callistemon or Bottlebrush. Does it make a flower? The bark however looks like a Maleleuca.

Wow, I'm on the wrong side of the tracks! I was thinking a strange, primitive conifer of some kind. Good question, does it flower? Got a shot of the whole tree?

I don't recall seeing it flower. I compared it with a couple of bottlebrushes up the road - a pretty good call Rob but it is definitely something else.
Russell, your observation sums up my initial impression exactly, it certainly looks prehistoric.
Here is a picture of the tree:



A bit of a mess but the one I intend to collect has recently been hacked back and the juvenile growth looks fairly promising.

Man, that's a STRANGE one! There are so many oddball conifers that are almost completely unknown outside the tropics - keep us posted!

There is a large family of trees from Australia with similar growth, flowers and seed bearing characteristics. I am not sure they are classified as "conifers.”
We have a lot of them in Florida; most are considered "invasive."

Melaleuca, Papertree, Punk tree - Melaleuca quinquenervia
Category 1 Invasive plant
Family - Myrtaceae (Myrtle family)
Habitat- Prefers seasonally flooded areas but also grows in upland habitats.
Description - Height 80 to 100 feet with slender crown, leaves are 4-5 inches long, lance shaped grey-green in color produce a camphor-like smell when crushed. Yellowish-white flowers are produced on bottle brush shaped spikes to 6 inches long, followed by clusters of 3/8 inch round or cylindrical woody capsules
Seeds were intentionally scattered by air over the Everglades in the 1930's with the idea being to help dry out swamps, it is now a major pest in south Florida, particularly in wetland habitats. This fast growing (3-6 feet a year) Australian native forms very dense stands, crowding out all other plants.

That may be close. Now that I look again I can't tell from Justin's first picture if that's a cone or a cluster of buds along a stem like the Melaleuca. The bark sure looks like Melaleuca......

There is no doubt that the bark is very similar but the seed pods are bound extremely tightly in the form of a cone and not a cluster and the leaves are firm and scale-like.
A mystery...

http://www.google.com.au/search?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&q=Melaleuca%20diosmifolia&biw=1280&bih=634

OR Melaleuca Coccinea

http://www.google.com.au/search?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&q=Melaleuca%20diosmifolia&biw=1280&bih=634#um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB%3Aofficial&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=Melaleuca+coccinea&oq=Melaleuca+coccinea&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=43946l43946l0l44474l1l1l0l0l0l0l0l0ll0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=8c64bfa536d25a84&biw=1280&bih=634

Thanks Jarrod, I was hoping someone from Aus was listening in.
I'm pretty sure that it's the diosmifolia as these are trees and not shrubs, the green flowers may also explain why I haven't noticed them in bloom.

Have you had any experience with collecting these?

Definately a Melaleuca, but most certainly not Quinquenervia. There are a few Melaleuca that have this type of foliage and one that is similar is Styphelioides...but I couldn't say for sure. I know someone that would definately know, but I haven't seen him post here for years. I'll see if I can get a positive I.D for you.
Sam Lee posted a couple of beautiful Quinquenervia bonsai on this site a couple of years ago which if I recall correctly, were for sale. Funny thing is, those two were by far the best examples of Melaleuca Quinquenervia as bonsai I have evere seen. Maybe Sam still has some photos of them??. I for one, would love to see them again.
Here's a pic of Quinquenervia

Stupid me!! I hadn't taken the time to look at Jarrod's links...it does look very similar to diosmifolia dosen't it?. Like I said, there are a few Melaleucas with this style foliage.

Cheers!
Anthony

Thanks Anthony, any idea when would be ideal to collect? The one I have my eye on already seems to be pushing out new growth.

One tip, there is an urban legend in Florida that Melaleuca dust (produced when chainsawing or carving) can be toxic to some humans. I have not been able to confirm this although the tea oil produced from Melaleuca can cause reactions in some people. Probably best to take proper percautions when hacking up the wood.

Thanks Rob, will do.