They grow to aromatic shrubs or trees from 5 to 25 m (20 to 80 ft) tall, with leaves 3–12 cm (1.2–4.7 in) long and 1–6 cm (0.4–2.4 in) wide, arranged opposite to each other.
^ abcdef"Backhousia%". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS) database (listing by % wildcard matching of all taxa relevant to Australia). Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
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Ford, Andrew J.; Craven, Lyndley A.; Brophy, J. J. (2005). "Backhousia enata A.J.Ford, Craven & J.Holmes (Myrtaceae), a new species from north-eastern Queensland". Austrobaileya. 7 (1). pages 121–127, fig. 1, map 1. JSTOR41739014.
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Bean, A. R. (2003). "Backhousia oligantha (Myrtaceae), a new species from Queensland". Austrobaileya. 6 (3). pages 533–536, fig. 1, map 1. JSTOR41738996.
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Wilson, Paul G.; O'Brien, M. M.; Quinn, Chris J. (2000). "Anetholea (Myrtaceae), a new genus for Backhousia anisata: a cryptic member of the Acmena alliance". Australian Systematic Botany. 13 (3): 429–435. doi:10.1071/SB99008.