''Phebalium elegans'' is a species of spreading shrub that is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to Western Australia. It has warty branchlets, wedge-shaped leaves and two to five white flowers arranged in

umbel In botany, an umbel is an inflorescence that consists of a number of short flower stalks (called pedicels) that spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs. The word was coined in botanical usage in the 1590s, from Latin ''umbella'' "p ...

s on the ends of branchlets.

Description

''Phebalium elegans'' is a spreading shrub that typically grows to a height of . It has warty branchlets covered with silvery scales. The leaves are wedge-shaped, covered with warty

glands In animals, a gland is a group of cells in an animal's body that synthesizes substances (such as hormones) for release into the bloodstream (endocrine gland) or into cavities inside the body or its outer surface (exocrine gland). Structure De ...

, about long and wide,

glabrous Glabrousness (from the Latin ''glaber'' meaning "bald", "hairless", "shaved", "smooth") is the technical term for a lack of hair, down, setae, trichomes or other such covering. A glabrous surface may be a natural characteristic of all or part of ...

on the upper surface and covered with silvery scales below. Two to five white flowers are arranged in umbels on the ends of branchlets, each flower on a silvery-scaly

pedicel Pedicle or pedicel may refer to: Human anatomy *Pedicle of vertebral arch, the segment between the transverse process and the vertebral body, and is often used as a radiographic marker and entry point in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures ...

long. The calyx is about long, with silvery to reddish -brown scales on the outside. The

petal Petals are modified Leaf, leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often advertising coloration, brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''c ...

s are broadly elliptical, long and covered with silvery to rust-coloured scales on the back. Flowering occurs from July to September.

Taxonomy and naming

''Phebalium elegans'' was first formally described in 1998 by Paul Wilson in the journal ''

Nuytsia ''Nuytsia floribunda'' is a hemiparasitic tree found in Western Australia. The species is known locally as moodjar and, more recently, the Christmas tree or Western Australian Christmas tree. The display of intensely bright flowers during the ...

'' from specimens collected in the

Fraser Range The Fraser Range is a small mountain range in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, located north of the western end of Nugent Sound. It has an area of 37 km2 and is a subrange of the Pacific Ranges which in turn form part of the Coast Mou ...

east of Norseman by Kenneth Newbey in 1980.

Distribution and habitat

''Phebalium elegans'' grows on rocky hills from the Bremer Range to the Fraser Range.

Conservation status

This phebalium is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government

Department of Parks and Wildlife The Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) was the department of the Government of Western Australia responsible for managing lands described in the ''Conservation and Land Management Act 1984'' and implementing the state's conservation and e ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q18075476 elegans Flora of Western Australia Plants described in 1998 Taxa named by Paul G. Wilson