Lophostemon confertus (R.Br.) Peter G.Wilson & Waterhouse

Brush Box

A dense, rounded tree to 15 m or more tall. Bark scaly. Young shoots releasing milky juice when broken. Leaves crowded in false whorls of 4-5, ovate to elliptic or lanceolate, 12-20 cm long, 5-7 cm wide, dark green and glossy above, paler below. Leaf stalk 2-2.5 cm long. Flowers white, in clusters of 3-7 at the base of the new season's growth; spring to early summer. Fruit a bell-shaped capsule, 1 cm long and wide. Syn. Tristania conferta R. Br.

Grows naturally at the edge of rainforest.

NSW, Qld.

VIC: Parkville (Flemington Rd); Springvale (Crematorium, exit avenue).

Source: Spencer, R. (2002). Myrtaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.

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Distribution map

Lophostemon confertus 'Variegatus'

Smaller habit than species, leaves with wavy margins and a broad yellow blotch in the centre. The variegated scion is grafted onto typical seedlings. Also L. 'Billy Bunter' PVJ 10(2)56.

VIC: Balwyn (Maranoa Gds entrance); Melbourne (Royal Bot. Gds, near D Gate); S Yarra (Domain, above Edmund Herring Reserve).

kingdom Plantae
phylum   Tracheophyta
class    Magnoliopsida
superorder     Rosanae
order      Myrtales
family       Myrtaceae
genus        Lophostemon Schott