Phebalium squamulosum , commonly known as scaly phebalium or forest phebalium, is a species of shrub or slender tree that is endemic to eastern Australia. It has smooth branches covered with rust-coloured scales, linear to elliptical or egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, and pale to bright yellow flowers in umbels with rust-coloured or silvery scales on the back.
Description
Phebalium squamulosum is a shrub that typically grows to a height of, sometimes a slender tree to. It has smooth branchlets covered with rust-coloured scales. The leaves are papery or leathery, linear to elliptical or egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, long and wide on a petiole long. The upper surface of the leaves is more or less but the lower side is covered with silvery to rust-coloured scales and star-shaped hairs. Between five and ten or more flowers are arranged in umbels on the ends of branchlets, each flower on a pedicel long. The calyx is hemispherical to top-shaped, long and wide, glabrous on the inside and covered with scales on the outside. The petals are pale to bright yellow or cream-coloured, elliptical, long with silvery to rust-coloured scales on the back. The fruit is a follicle about long and erect.
Taxonomy
Phebalium squamulosum was first formally described in 1805 by Étienne Pierre Ventenat in his book Jardinde la Malmaison and was the first species in the genus to be described. In 1970, Paul Wilson described ten subspecies, eight of which are now accepted by the Australian Plant Census:
P. squamulosum subsp. alpinum Paul G.Wilson
P. squamulosum subsp. argenteum Paul G.Wilson
P. squamulosum subsp. coriaceum Paul G.Wilson
P. squamulosum subsp. gracile Paul G.Wilson
P. squamulosum subsp. lineare Paul G.Wilson
P. squamulosum subsp. ozothamnoides Paul G.Wilson
P. squamulosum subsp. parvifolium Paul G.Wilson
P. squamulosum Vent. subsp. squamulosum
There are many intergrades between subspecies and it is sometimes difficult to satisfactorily assign some plants to a taxon.
Scaly phebalium is widespread, mainly growing in heath and forest on sandstone. It is found in northern and south-eastern Queensland, eastern New South Wales and eastern Victoria.
Use in horticulture
Phebalium squamulosum is cultivated as an ornamental flowering shrub. The species is frost tolerant and performs best in a well-drained, partially shaded position with a cool, moist root zone.
