''Phebalium woombye'', commonly known as wallum phebalium, is a species of 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 eastern Australia. It has branchlets covered with scales and star-shaped hairs, elliptical leaves, and white to pink 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 of four to ten flowers.

Description

''Phebalium woombye'' is a shrub that typically grows to a height of and has branchlets covered with scales and star-shaped hairs. The leaves are oblong to elliptical, long and wide on a short petiole. The upper surface of the leaves is flat and

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 ...

, the lower surface with a prominent mid-vein and covered with silvery scales. The flowers are arranged on the ends of branchlets in umbels of four to ten, each flower on a

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 top-shaped, about long with teeth about half that length, covered with silvery to rust-coloured scales inside and out. 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 white to pink, egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, about long, wide and covered with rust-coloured scales on the back. Flowering occurs from July to August.

Taxonomy and naming

This species was first formally described in 1898 by

Frederick Manson Bailey Frederick Manson Bailey (8 March 1827 – 25 June 1915) was a botanist active in Australia, who made valuable contributions to the characterisation of the flora of Queensland. He was known by his middle name, Manson. Early life Bailey was bo ...

who gave it the name ''Asterolasia woombye'' and published the description in the ''Queensland Agricultural Journal'' from specimens collected near

Woombye Woombye is a town and Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Woombye had a population of 3,246 people. Geography Woombye is located on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Sunshine ...

. In 1913

Karel Domin Karel Domin (4 May 1882, Kutná Hora, Kingdom of Bohemia – 10 June 1953, Prague) was a Czech botanist and politician. After gymnasium school studies in Příbram, he studied botany at the Charles University in Prague ) , image_name = C ...

changed the name to ''Phebalium woombye'', publishing the change in the journal ''Repertorium Specierum Novarum Regni Vegetabilis''.

Distribution and habitat

''Phebalium woombye'' mainly grows in coastal sand dunes, sometimes further inland and is found from south-east Queensland to as far south as

Glenreagh Glenreagh is a small town in the Clarence Valley in the Northern Rivers region of north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. At the 2016 census, Glenreagh had a population of 900 people. It is on the North Coast railway line, completed to Gl ...

in New South Wales.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q18075373

woombye Woombye is a town and Suburbs and localities (Australia), locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Woombye had a population of 3,246 people. Geography Woombye is located on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Sunshine ...

Flora of New South Wales Flora of Queensland Plants described in 1898 Taxa named by Frederick Manson Bailey