Tasmania has
one species of Nematolepis - N. squamea (lancewood), a
common wet forest tree formerly known as Phebalium squameum.
The leaves are simple and entire, and smell strongly when
crushed. Like the leaves of Phebalium
daviesii, they have distinctive silvery undersides of the
leaf (formed from peltate hairs). The flowers are white and
abundant. They have five free petals and 10 free stamens.
Apart from the more common var squameum, there is an
uncommon variety (var retusum) with smaller leaves.
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