Craspedia | |
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Craspedia canens | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Subfamily: | Asteroideae |
Tribe: | Gnaphalieae |
Genus: | Craspedia G.Forst. |
Type species | |
Craspedia uniflora | |
Species | |
Diversity | |
About 20 species | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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Craspedia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae commonly known as billy buttons, billy balls, and woollyheads. They are native to Australia and New Zealand where they grow in a variety of habitats from sea level to the Alps. The genus is found in every state of Australia but not in the Northern Territory. In New Zealand, Craspedia is found from East Cape on the North Island south to Stewart Island. It also occurs on Campbell Island and the Chatham Islands.
Craspedia are rosette-forming herbs with compound capitula borne on erect, unbranched scapes. The capitula are hemispherical to spherical heads of tiny flowers. Most species are perennial; one species is recorded as an annual ( Craspedia haplorrhiza ). The leaves have considerable variation in form, ranging in colour from white to green, and are often covered in fine hairs.
A closely related genus is Pycnosorus , also often called billy buttons. The genera can be distinguished by the attachment of individual flower heads to the compound heads; in Pycnosorus they are directly attached, and in Craspedia they arise on small stalks. [3] The two genera may actually be monophyletic. [4]
The genus Craspedia was first described by Johann Georg Adam Forster in 1786. [5] It is placed within the family Asteraceae, tribe Gnaphalieae, with about 23 species. [6] [7] The original description included only one species, Craspedia uniflora . Early authors included Pycnosorus, which was later segregated. [8] Molecular phylogeny suggested the two genera were sister clades, [7] [8] but there is some evidence that the two genera may in fact be monophyletic. [4]
According to the Global Compositae Checklist [2]
The genus is named for the Greek Kraspedon, meaning an edge, hem or border, because of the woolly fringes of the leaves belonging to the type species. [9]
There are two centres of diversity in Craspedia, both associated with upland areas. One of these is in the alpine and subalpine zone of Kosciuszko National Park in Australia, where seven species are found. The other centre is a larger area on the northwestern South Island of New Zealand, where several species grow. [7]
Species of Craspedia are found in a wide range of habitats from coastal to alpine and are generally plants of open areas, sometimes ruderal. Observations of some Australian species suggest they re-establish well after fire. In Australia Craspedia are commonly found growing in forest habitat, whereas in New Zealand they are generally excluded from closed Nothofagus forests. Craspedia species may occur in dense, widespread populations in mainland Australia, but generally not in New Zealand or Tasmania. Most Australian non-alpine species are found in native grasslands and shrublands associated with Eucalyptus forests. Alpine species occur in Tasmania. In New Zealand, species can be found on coastal sand dunes, wetlands, fellfields, and greywacke rock scree.
Craspedia grow in a wide range of soil types, including sands, gravels, clays, and loams, which are derived from different geologies across a broad rainfall gradient. They appear to be intolerant only of very infertile and acidic soils. This is apparent in the absence of Craspedia from parts of western Tasmania which are characterised by soils derived from pre-Cambrian quartzose rock. These sandy, infertile soils are dominated by a wet heath ecosystem known as buttongrass moorland.
Craspedia is hardy to USDA zones 9–11. It can be propagated by cutting a rosette from a clump, but generally seed is a more reliable and rapid method. Seeds will sprout in days on germination media. Plants are generally self-fertile. The alpine species need regular water and excellent drainage. All species prefer cool roots; surrounding the plants with rock, gravel, or sand provides better conditions. A plant will start growing as a single rosette, and each rosette generally produces one flower stalk. [10] Cultivars include ‘Golf Beauty’. [11] [12]
Craspedia is grown both as an ornamental garden plant, and floriculture for cut flowers and floral arrangements, including dried flowers. [13] [10] [12] Africa is a source of exports. [14]
Leptospermum is a genus of shrubs and small trees in the myrtle family Myrtaceae commonly known as tea trees, although this name is sometimes also used for some species of Melaleuca. Most species are endemic to Australia, with the greatest diversity in the south of the continent, but some are native to other parts of the world, including New Zealand and Southeast Asia. Leptospermums all have five conspicuous petals and five groups of stamens which alternate with the petals. There is a single style in the centre of the flower and the fruit is a woody capsule.
The Gnaphalieae are a tribe of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It is most closely related to the tribes Anthemideae, Astereae, and Calenduleae.
Pycnosorus is a genus of six species of plants in the family Asteraceae. Commonly known as billy buttons or drumsticks, they are annual or perennial herbs or small shrubs with a cylindrical to spherical head of up to 200 daisy-like "flowers". Each "flower" is a pseudanthium consisting of between three and eight florets surrounded by bracts. The petals are joined to form a small tube and the florets with their surrounding bracts are yellow or golden-yellow.
Olearia, most commonly known as daisy-bush, is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Asteraceae, the largest of the flowering plant families in the world. Olearia are found in Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand. The genus includes herbaceous plants, shrubs and small trees. The latter are unusual among the Asteraceae and are called tree daisies in New Zealand. All bear the familiar daisy-like composite flowerheads in white, pink, mauve or purple.
Swainsona is a genus of about 85 species of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae, and is endemic to Australia. Plants in this genus are herbs or subshrubs with imparipinnate leaves and usually purple flowers similar to others in the family.
Pladaroxylon is a genus of trees in the tribe Senecioneae within the family Asteraceae.
Brachyglottis is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. The genus was erected on November 29, 1775, by Johann Reinhold Forster and Georg Forster. The name was derived from the Greek brachus ("short") and glottis a reference to the size of the ray florets.
Gahnia is a genus of sedges native to China, Southeast Asia, New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand and a number of Pacific Islands. The common name is due to the toothed margins. It often forms tussocks.
Pseudognaphalium luteoalbum, synonyms including Helichrysum luteoalbum, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. In the United Kingdom, it is known as the Jersey cudweed.
Chrysocephalum semipapposum, commonly known as clustered everlasting is a perennial shrub native to Australia. Clustered everlasting belongs to the family Asteraceae. C. semipapposum produces terminal flowers heads in clusters, mainly between spring and early summer with silver-grey appearing stems and branches. It grows up to 40 cm high and 60 cm high, although there have been some varieties which can grow up to 1 m. C. semipapposum is often confused with Chrysocephalum apiculatum or 'yellow buttons', due to their similar appearances. C. semipapposum has 4 different subspecies, however they lack distinctive qualities and are often hard to identify. C. semipapposum is endemic to Australia and can be found in multiple states, most notably within Victoria. The plant is found in a variety of habitats including dry rocky regions. Clustered everlasting often grows sparsely and is rarely found in abundance and can be mistaken for a weed. Clustered everlasting has many uses, including as a source of nectar for butterflies, cut flowers or as an addition to a garden.
Coronidium scorpioides, commonly known as the button everlasting, is a perennial herbaceous shrub in the family Asteraceae found in Australia. Previously known as Helichrysum scorpioides, it was placed in the newly described genus Coronidium in 2008.
Waitzia acuminata, commonly known as orange immortelle, is an annual forb in the family Asteraceae. It is native to Australia. Plants grow to between 10 and 60 cm in height and have leaves that are long and narrow. These are between 2 and 7 cm long and 2 to 5 mm in width. The yellow, orange or white flowers appear between July and January. Waitzia Acuminata occurs in all mainland states of Australia and is currently not considered rare or endangered. Its genus Waitzia is named after German botanist Karl Friedrich Waitz. Acuminata is a latin name describing things that are tapered to a point, named after the plants spindle like outer bracts.
Scapisenecio pectinatus, synonym Senecio pectinatus, commonly known as alpine groundsel, is a species of flowering plant in the aster family. The species occurs in alpine areas of south-eastern Australia in peat-based soils. It has divided leaves forming a basal rosette and produces a single yellow flower head on a stalk up to 20 cm high.
Craspedia variabilis, commonly known as billy buttons, is an erect annual or perennial herb which occurs in all mainland states of Australia except for the Northern Territory and in a wide range of habitats in temperate zones but not in alpine areas.
Ozothamnus ledifolius is a shrub, from the family Asteraceae and one of 54 species from the genus Ozothamnus. Harold Frederick Comber (1897–1969), an English horticulturist and plant collector, introduced Ozothamnus ledifolius in 1929 on mountains of Tasmania above 2500 ft. high from the seeds collected from 4000 ft. height.
Joy Thompson was an Australian botanist. Her main research areas were taxonomy and Myrtaceae.
Helichrysum pumilum, commonly known as dwarf everlasting, is a rosette herb from the family Asteraceae. It is endemic to Tasmania, where it is commonly found in the West and Southwest of the island state. It is distinctive by its inflorescence, with the flower stalk being densely matted in fine white hairs and the daisy-like flower head having numerous pink or white ray floret-like bracts.
Craspedia aurantia, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and grows in New South Wales and Victoria. It has light green leaves and heads of yellow to reddish-brown flowers on a single flowering stem.
Scapisenecio is a genus of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to south-eastern Australia, particularly Tasmania. The genus was established in 2020.
Euchiton traversii, commonly known as mat cudweed, is a small, woolly, alpine rosette herb. It forms a mat-like habit, hence the common name, in alpine wet heath and grasslands. The species is found in Australia—in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory—and the North and South Islands of New Zealand.