Mountain guitar plant

Description

Lomatia polymorpha, commonly known as mountain guitar plant, is a shrub or small tree of the family Proteaceae which is endemic to Tasmania. It is a shrub or small tree with linear leaves and white, cream-coloured or greenish flowers. It is common throughout its range which is approximately complementary to that of L. tinctoria in Tasmania. Where the ranges overlap (as in the region of Lake St Clair), hybrids often occur. Lomatia polymorpha is a shrub or small tree which grows to a height of between 2.5 and 4 m (8 and 10 ft). It has simple leaves which are linear to narrow egg-shaped, 20–80 mm (0.8–3 in) long, 2.5–10 mm (0.1–0.4 in) wide, have a stalk about 5 mm (0.2 in) long and sometimes have a few lobes or teeth on the margins. The stems sometimes have a covering of matted hairs while the lower surface of the leaves is covered with rusty-coloured hairs and has a prominent mid-vein. The heads of flowers barely extend beyond the leaves and are white, cream or greenish-white in colour. Flowers appear between January and March and are followed by fruits which are dark grey to black and 20–30 mm (0.8–1 in) long.