Biology:Celmisia saxifraga

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Short description: Species of plant

Small snowdaisy
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Celmisia
Species:
C. saxifraga
Binomial name
Celmisia saxifraga

Celmisia saxifraga, commonly know as the small snowdaisy, is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae family. It is native to Tasmania and Victoria, where it grows in alpine grasslands above the snowline.[3]

Description

Like other members of the Asteraceae family, C. saxifraga has a composite flower head with both disk and ray florets.[4] Inflorescence are a typical daisy arrangement with white outsides and a yellow centre. The entire inflorescence can be 3 cm across, and is often held well above the rosette on a hairy stem growing to 15 cm.[5] The fruit is small, hard, and dry, similar to a sunflower seed.[6] This is often called an achene, but in Asteraceae is more accurately called a cypsela. [7] The primary difference between the two being that a cypsela is a single fruit formed from two ovaries (as in C. saxifraga) while an achene describes a fruit formed from a single ovary.[8] The leaves of C. saxifraga are simple and entire, growing to 3 cm long. They are glaucous silver and hairy.[9] C. saxifraga can be distinguished from the similar and co-occurring C. asteliifolia by its leaves.[10] The leaves of C. saxifraga are shorter (~3 cm) than those of C. asteliifolia (up to 18 cm).[11]

Etymology

"Saxifraga" is a combination of the Latin words saxum, meaning "stone", and frangere meaning "to break". The name "stone-breaker" is however thought to refer to plant in the genus Saxifraga being used in treating kidney stones.[12] It is unclear whether C. saxifraga is named for breaking rocks or for its similarity to certain Saxifraga species which are also herbaceous and rosette-forming.

References

  1. "Celmisia saxifraga". Kew Royal Botanical Gardens. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:189712-1. 
  2. Curtis, W.M (1968). "Taxon 17:467". Taxon 17:467. 
  3. Curtis, W.M; Bentham, George. "Celmisia saxifraga". http://encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net/plants/Celmisia/saxifraga. 
  4. "Asteraceae". https://www.britannica.com/plant/Asteraceae. 
  5. Howell, Christine; Whiting, Jenny; Roberts, Jill; Reeves, Ricky; Taylor, Frank; Taylor, Verity (2012). Tasmania's Natural Flora (2nd ed.). Devenport, Tasmania: Tasmania's Natural Flora Editorial Committee. p. 57. ISBN 9780909830663. 
  6. Howell, Christine; Whiting, Jenny; Roberts, Jill; Reeves, Ricky; Taylor, Frank; Taylor, Verity (2012). Tasmania's Natural Flora (2nd ed.). Devenport, Tasmania: Tasmania's Natural Flora Editorial Committee. p. 57. ISBN 9780909830663. 
  7. Evans, William Charles (2009). "Plant description, morphology and anatomy". Trease and Evans' Pharmacognosy Sixteenth edition: 541–550. doi:10.1016/B978-0-7020-2933-2.00041-1. ISBN 9780702029332. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780702029332000411. Retrieved 27 March 2022. 
  8. "Cypsela". Oxford University Press. https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/cypsela. 
  9. Howell, Christine; Whiting, Jenny; Roberts, Jill; Reeves, Ricky; Taylor, Frank; Taylor, Verity (2012). Tasmania's Natural Flora (2nd ed.). Devenport, Tasmania: Tasmania's Natural Flora Editorial Committee. p. 57. ISBN 9780909830663. 
  10. "Celmisia saxifraga". UTAS. https://www.utas.edu.au/dicotkey/dicotkey/AST/ast/sCelmisia_saxifraga.htm. 
  11. "Celmisia Asteliifolia". UTAS. https://www.utas.edu.au/dicotkey/dicotkey/AST/ast/sCelmisia_asteliifolia.htm. 
  12. "Saxifraga". Cambridge University Botanic Garden. https://www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/the-garden/horticultural-collections/national-plant-collections/saxifraga/. 

Wikidata ☰ Q15562278 entry