Phebalium


Phebalium is a genus of thirty species of shrubs or small trees in the family Rutaceae and is endemic to Australia. The leaves are arranged alternately, simple and often warty, the flowers arranged singly or in umbels on the ends of branchlets or in leaf s, usually with five sepals, five petals and ten stamens. There are about thirty species and they are found in all Australian states but not in the Northern Territory.

Description

Plants in the genus Phebalium are shrubs or small trees that are often more or less covered with scales or shield-shaped or star-shaped hairs, at least when young. The leaves are arranged alternately along the stems, and are simple, sometimes with toothed edges. The flowers are bisexual and have five sepals, five petals and ten stamens. The sepals are fused at the base, usually with five lobes, and the stamens are free from each other. There are five carpels with the styles fused and the stigma is similar to the rest of the style. The fruit is a follicle and the seeds are released explosively.

Taxonomy

The genus Phebalium was first formally described in 1805 by Étienne Pierre Ventenat in his book Jardin de la Malmaison. The first species described was Phebalium squamulosum.

Species list

The following is a list of species and subspecies recognised by the Australian Plant Census as at June 2020:
Species of Phebalium occur in all Australian states, but not in the Northern Territory.