Mt Greville phebalium facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mt Greville phebalium
On Mount Greville
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Rutaceae
Genus:	Leionema
Species:	L. gracile
Binomial name
Leionema gracile (C.T.White) Paul G.Wilson
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The Mt Greville phebalium (scientific name: Leionema gracile) is a special type of shrub. It only grows in Queensland, Australia. This small plant has pretty white flowers that bloom from autumn to spring. Its leaves spread out nicely.

What Does the Mt Greville Phebalium Look Like?

The Mt Greville phebalium is a small shrub that can grow up to 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) tall. Its small branches have tiny bumps. The leaves spread out and are usually smooth. They are shaped like ovals, about 5 to 10 millimeters long and 1.5 to 2.5 millimeters wide. The edges of the leaves are smooth and curve slightly under. They feel a bit like leather and have a rounded tip.

Flowers and Fruit

The plant's single white flowers grow from the highest branches. They appear where the leaves join the stem. Each flower sits on a tiny stalk, about 0.5 millimeters long. Small, hair-like leaves called bracts are also present, but they fall off quickly.

The flower has triangular parts called calyx lobes. Its white petals spread out and are about 5 millimeters long. They have a sharp point at the end. The stamens, which are the parts that hold pollen, are about the same length as the petals. After flowering, the plant produces small fruits. These fruits are about 4 millimeters long and have a short, pointed tip. You can see this plant flowering from autumn all the way through spring.

How Was This Plant Named?

The Mt Greville phebalium was first given the name Phebalium gracile. But in 1998, a scientist named Paul G. Wilson changed its name to Leionema gracile. He published this new name in a science journal called Nuytsia.

The second part of its scientific name, gracile, comes from the Latin word gracilis. This word means "thin" or "slender," which describes the plant's delicate look.

Where Does the Mt Greville Phebalium Grow?

This special shrub grows in only a few places. You can find it at high altitudes on Mount Moon and Mount Greville. Both of these mountains are in south-eastern Queensland, Australia. It likes to grow on rocky areas.