About Lomatia tinctoria (Labill.) R.Br.
Lomatia tinctoria (Labill.) R.Br., commonly called the guitar plant, grows as a woody shrub. It usually reaches 1.5 m (5 ft) high, and rarely grows up to 2 m (7 ft) high. Its leaves are strongly lobed, either pinnate or bipinnate, and measure around 8 cm long. White or cream-colored flower clusters called inflorescences appear in summer. Its common name guitar plant may reference the shape of its fruit. This species is distributed in north eastern Tasmania, mostly north and east of the Pieman and Derwent rivers, as well as on Cape Barren Island and Flinders Island. The related species Lomatia polymorpha occurs approximately south of the Pieman River and west of the Derwent River. Where the ranges of the two species overlap, such as near Lake St Clair, apparent hybrids form, even though the leaves of the two species are strikingly different. Lomatia tinctoria can be cultivated in gardens. It grows best on acidic, well-drained soils, and tolerates both sunny and shady locations. It can be easily propagated from either seed or cuttings.
