Phebalium facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Phebalium |
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| Phebalium canaliculatum | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Rutaceae |
| Genus: | Phebalium Vent. |
| Species | |
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See text. |
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| Synonyms | |
[[File:Phebalium daviesii.jpg|thumb|St Helens wax flower (Phebalium daviesii)] [[File:Phebalium nottii.jpg|thumb|Pink phebalium (Phebalium nottii)] [[File:Phebalium stenophyllum.jpg|thumb|Narrow-leaved phebalium (Phebalium stenophyllum)] [[File:Phebalium woombye.jpg|thumb|Wallum phebalium (Phebalium woombye)]
Phebalium is a group of about thirty types of shrubs or small trees. They belong to the Rutaceae family, which also includes citrus fruits like oranges and lemons! These plants are special because they are endemic to Australia. This means they naturally grow only in Australia and nowhere else in the world.
Phebalium plants have leaves that grow one after another along the stem. These leaves are usually simple and sometimes have small bumps or "warts" on them. Their flowers can grow alone or in small clusters called umbels. You'll find them at the ends of branches or where a leaf joins the stem. Each flower usually has five sepals (small leaf-like parts that protect the bud), five petals (the colorful parts), and ten stamens (the parts that make pollen). You can find Phebalium species in all Australian states, but not in the Northern Territory.
Contents
What do Phebalium Plants Look Like?
Phebalium plants are usually shrubs or small trees. They often have tiny scales or star-shaped hairs covering them, especially when they are young. These hairs give them a unique look.
Their leaves grow one at a time along the stems. They are simple leaves, meaning they are not divided into smaller leaflets. Sometimes, the edges of the leaves can be slightly toothed.
The flowers of Phebalium plants have both male and female parts, which means they are bisexual. Each flower has five sepals, which are joined together at the bottom. They also have five petals, which are the parts that give the flower its color. Inside the flower, there are ten stamens, which are separate from each other. These stamens produce pollen.
The female part of the flower has five carpels (parts that contain the seeds). The styles (the stalks connecting the stigma to the ovary) are joined together, and the stigma (the part that receives pollen) looks similar to the rest of the style.
After the flower is pollinated, it forms a fruit called a follicle. When these fruits are ripe, they burst open to release their seeds. This helps the plant spread its seeds far and wide!
How Phebalium Plants Got Their Name
The name Phebalium was first officially used in 1805. It was given by a French botanist named Étienne Pierre Ventenat. He wrote about it in his book called Jardin de la Malmaison. The very first species described in this group was Phebalium squamulosum.
Types of Phebalium Species
Here is a list of the different species and subspecies of Phebalium that are recognized by the Australian Plant Census as of June 2020:
- Phebalium appressum (W.A.)
- Phebalium bifidum (N.S.W.)
- Phebalium brachycalyx (W.A.)
- Phebalium brevifolium (W.A.)
- Phebalium bullatum — silvery phebalium or desert phebalium (S.A., Vic.)
- Phebalium canaliculatum (W.A.)
- Phebalium clavatum (W.A.)
- Phebalium daviesii — St Helens wax flower (Tas.)
- Phebalium distans (Qld.)
- Phebalium drummondii (W.A.)
- Phebalium elegans (W.A.)
- Phebalium festivum (Vic.)
- Phebalium filifolium — slender phebalium (W.A.)
- Phebalium glandulosum — glandular phebalium or desert phebalium
- Phebalium glandulosum subsp. angustifolium (N.S.W.)
- Phebalium glandulosum subsp. eglandulosum (Qld., N.S.W.)
- Phebalium glandulosum subsp. glandulosum (S.A., Qld., N.S.W.)
- Phebalium glandulosum subsp. macrocalyx (Vic.)
- Phebalium glandulosum subsp. nitidum (N.S.W.)
- Phebalium glandulosum subsp. riparium (Vic.)
- Phebalium laevigatum (W.A.)
- Phebalium lepidotum (W.A.)
- Phebalium longifolium (Qld.)
- Phebalium lowanense (S.A., Vic.)
- Phebalium megaphyllum (W.A.)
- Phebalium microphyllum (W.A.)
- Phebalium nottii — pink phebalium (Qld., N.S.W.)
- Phebalium obcordatum — club-leaved phebalium (N.S.W.)
- Phebalium obovatum (W.A.)
- Phebalium speciosum (N.S.W.)
- Phebalium squamulosum — forest phebalium, scaly phebalium
- Phebalium squamulosum subsp. alpinum (N.S.W., Vic.)
- Phebalium squamulosum subsp. argenteum (N.S.W., Vic.)
- Phebalium squamulosum subsp. coriaceum (N.S.W.)
- Phebalium squamulosum subsp. gracile (Qld., N.S.W.)
- Phebalium squamulosum subsp. lineare (N.S.W.)
- Phebalium squamulosum subsp. ozothamnoides (N.S.W., A.C.T., Vic.)
- Phebalium squamulosum subsp. parvifolium (N.S.W.)
- Phebalium squamulosum subsp. squamulosum (S.A., Qld., N.S.W., Vic.)
- Phebalium stenophyllum — narrow-leaved phebalium (S.A., N.S.W., Vic.)
- Phebalium tuberculosum (W.A.)
- Phebalium verrucosum (N.S.W.)
- Phebalium whitei (Qld.)
- Phebalium woombye (Qld., N.S.W.)
Where Phebalium Plants Grow
As mentioned, all species of Phebalium are native to Australia. You can find them growing in every Australian state. However, they do not grow naturally in the Northern Territory.
See also
In Spanish: Phebalium para niños
