Phebalium
(from Phibale, a Myrtle; alluding to the appearence of the species). ORD. Rutaceae. A genus comprising (according to Bentham) twenty-eight species of greenhouse, glabrous or stellate-pubescent, scaly or rarely hirsute shrubs or small trees, of which one is a native of New Zealand, and the rest are all South Australian. Flowers white or yellow, small, very rarely four or six-merous; calyx segments and petals five, the latter valvate or laterally imbricated, but always with valvate, inflexed tips; inflorescence axillary or terminal; peduncles usually forming a short, umbel-like raceme, rarely one-flowered or reduced to a compact head. Leaves alternate, simple, entire or slightly toothed, the glands often large and prominent. The species require a compost of three parts sandy peat and one of sandy loam. Propagation may be effected by cuttings of the young wood, inserted in sand, under a glass. The under-mentioned species are all Australian.
P. aureum (golden). A synonym of P. squamulosum.
P. Billardieri (Labillardiere's). fl. yellow, in axillary corymbs, shortly pedunculate, but always shorter than the leaves; peduncles and pedicels scaly. April. l. oblong, lanceolate, or linear, obtuse or acute, rarely under 1/2in. and often 3in., sometimes 4in. to 5in. long, silvery-white beneath, with minute scales. 1822. An erect shrub or small tree. SYN. P. elatum. P. elatum (tall). A synonym of P. Billardieri.
P. lachnoides (woolly). fl. yellow, on short, axillary pedicels, usually crowded near the ends of the branches. May. l. crowded, narrow-linear, obtuse or scarcely mucronate, rarely exceeding 1/2in. long, the margins revolute, glabrous above, hoary beneath. Branches minutely stellate-pubescent. h. 3ft. 1824.
P. squamulosum (slightly scaly). fl. yellow, in terminal, sessile, simple or compound umbels or corymbs, not exceeding the last leaves; pedicles, calyx, and petals covered with comparatively large scurfy scales. May. l. shortly petiolate, oblong or linear, obtuse, but often mucronulate, 1/2in. to 1 1/2in. long, the margins flat or slightly recurved, smooth above or slightly glandular-tuberculate, covered underneath with scurfy peltate scales. Young branches brown, with scurfy scales. h. 2ft. 1824. SYN. P. aureum.