Biology:Actinodium
| Swamp daisy | |
|---|---|
| |
| Undescribed Albany daisy, Actinodium sp. 'Fitzgerald River' | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Myrtales |
| Family: | Myrtaceae |
| Genus: | Actinodium Schauer[2] |
| Species: | A. cunninghamii
|
| Binomial name | |
| Actinodium cunninghamii Schauer[1]
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Actinodium cunninghamii, commonly known as swamp daisy or Albany daisy,[3] is the only formally described species in the genus of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae, Actinodium and is endemic to Western Australia.
Description
Actinodium cunninghamii is a small, compact shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 30 cm (12 in) with leaves about 4 mm (0.16 in) long and 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) wide. The flowers are borne in pinkish-brown, daisy-like heads 20–30 mm (0.79–1.18 in) in diameter. The heads are made up of tiny, bell-shaped flowers surrounded by sterile, strap-like ray flowers.[4][5]
A related, but as yet undescribed species presently given the name Actinodium sp. 'Fitzgerald River' and also commonly known as Albany daisy, is a sparsely-branched shrub up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) high with leaves 5–6 mm (0.20–0.24 in) long, the heads pink and white and 40–50 mm (1.6–2.0 in) wide. This species is more common than A. cunninghamii.[4][6]
Taxonomy
The genus Actinodium was first formally described in 1836 by Johannes Conrad Schauer in the journal Linnaea, Ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange[7][8] and Schauer later described Actinodium cunninghamii in John Lindley's A Natural System of Botany from specimens collected by Allan Cunningham.[9][10] The genus name is derived from Greek and means "like the spokes of a wheel".[6][11]
Distribution and habitat
Actinodium cunninghamii grows in moist, sandy soil in forest and kwongan and is uncommon in nature. Both species of Actinodium usually grow in winter-wet depressions in near-coastal areas near Albany in the south-west of Western Australia.[4][5][12]
Use in horticulture
Actinodium sp. 'Fitzgerald River' (sometimes as A. cunninghamii) has been grown in gardens but is a short-lived plant requiring good drainage and a sheltered position. It can be propagated from cuttings.[6][13]
Cultural references
An image of A. cunninghamii was engraved for an Australian Stamp in 1985.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Actinodium cunninghamii". Australian Plant Census. https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/74869.
- ↑ "Actinodium". Australian Plant Census. https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/74855.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Actinodium cunninghamii". Australian Plants on Postage Stamps. Australian National Herbarium ANBG symbol. http://www.anbg.gov.au/stamps/stamp-actinod-cunning-05.html.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Corrick, Margaret G.; Fuhrer, Bruce A. (2009). Wildflowers of southern Western Australia (3rd ed.). Kenthurst, N.S.W.: Rosenberg Pub. pp. 110–111. ISBN 9781877058844.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Actinodium cunninghamii Schauer". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/5315.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Actinodium sp. 'Fitzgerald River'". Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority. https://www.bgpa.wa.gov.au/about-us/information/our-plants/plants-in-focus/2674-actinodium-sp-fitzgerald-river.
- ↑ "Actinodium". APNI. http://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/487622.
- ↑ Schauer, Johannes C. (1836). "Genera Chamaelauciearum Nova Quaedam". Linnaea: Ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange, oder Beiträge zur Pflanzenkunde 10: 311. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/100121#page/316/mode/1up. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ↑ "Actinodium". APNI. http://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/487643.
- ↑ Schauer, Johannes C. (1836). Lindley, John. ed. A Natural System of Botany. London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Green and Longman. p. 440. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/224906#page/470/mode/1up. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ↑ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 164. ISBN 9780958034180.
- ↑ "Actinodium sp. 'Fitzgerald River'". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife. https://florabase.dpaw.wa.gov.au/browse/profile/35620.
- ↑ "Actinodium cunninghamii". Australian Native Plants Society (Australia). http://anpsa.org.au/a-cun.html.
Wikidata ☰ Q2711307 entry
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