Citation: Smith, Trans. Linn. Soc. 3:263 (1797).

Synonymy: Philadelphus laniger Alton, Hort. Kew 2:156 (1789); L. pubestens Lam., Encycl. 3:466 (1791). , Leptospermum lanigerum, Leptospermum pubescens, Philadelphia laniger

Common name: Silky tea-tree, woolly tea-tree.

Description:
Tall shrub to 5 m or more high, the young stems closely pubescent; leaves oblong to narrowly oblanceolate, from a few to 15 mm long, usually grey-pubescent at least on the lower surface, the margins usually recurved, the apex tapering rather abruptly to a short pungent poin.

Flowers c. 15 mm diam., borne at the ends of short densely leafy side-shoots; bracts broad, pale-brown and tending to persist about the flowers; hypanthium usually densely villous, broad above a short narrow base; sepals 2-4 mm long, deltoid to long-deltoid; petals very broadly obovate, white; stamens c. 3 mm long; ovary usually 5-celled, with c. 50 ovules in 4-6 rows in each cell.

Fruit 5-10 mm diam., persistent, the outer surface papery and flaking but ultimately woody; fertile seeds c. 2.5 mm long, narrowly linear-cuneate, their surface longitudinally striate.

Published illustration: Costermans (1981) Native trees and shrubs of south-eastern Australia, p. 239.

Distribution:  In sandy swamps and along watercourses. S.Aust.: MU, SL, KI, SE.   N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Oct. — Jan.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available