Melaleuca pritzelii is a shrub which grows to about 1.2 m (4 ft) tall with rough grey bark.

pritzelii by Karel Domin but raised to species status in 1992 by Frances Quinn, Kirsten Cowley, Lyndley Craven and Bryan Barlow in Nuytsia,[5] noting that the species is probably not closely related to Melaleuca densa.

[4] The specific epithet (pritzelii) honours Ernst Georg Pritzel, who collected the specimen described by Domin.

[3] Melaleuca pritzelii is confined a few small populations in the Gnowangerup, Stirling Range and Bremer Bay districts[3] in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest and Mallee biogeographic regions[6] where it grows in sandy or clayey soils in swampy areas.

[7] Melaleuca pritzelii is classified as "Priority Three" by the Government of Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife[6] meaning that it is known from only a few locations and is not currently in imminent danger.