Leucophyta | |
---|---|
Leucophyta brownii, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria | |
Leucophyta brownii, Gippsland, Victoria | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Asterales |
Family: | Asteraceae |
Subfamily: | Asteroideae |
Tribe: | Gnaphalieae |
Genus: | Leucophyta R.Br. [1] |
Species: | L. brownii |
Binomial name | |
Leucophyta brownii | |
Synonyms | |
Calocephalus brownii(Cass.) F.Muell. |
Leucophyta is a plant genus which is endemic to Australia. The genus was first formally described by botanist Robert Brown in 1818. [1]
The sole species in the genus is Leucophyta brownii, also known as cushion bush. [4] In 1891, German botanist Otto Kuntze assigned a number of species to this genus in his publication Revisio Generum Plantarum but none of his name combinations have currency, those species being presently divided between the genera Balladonia , Blennospora , Calocephalus and Gnephosis . [5] [6]
Leucophyta brownii is a small, rounded shrub with tangled tomentose branchlets that give it a silvery appearance. [7] Although it can grow up to a metre high, it is more usually 0.2 to 0.7 metres high. [8] It produces flowers during summer (December to February in Australia), which are white-yellow globular heads and about 1 cm in diameter. [9]
The species is common in cultivation in Australia, with a selected dwarf form from Tasmania, known by the cultivar name 'Silver Nugget', also grown. [10]
Leucophyta brownii is found in coastal environments. It commonly occurs on the exposed faces of cliffs and dunes on the south coast of Australia. [7] [9] It is highly tolerant of prevailing winds, sea spray, drought and frost, and grows on predominantly sand or sandstone derived soil. Further, the soil can be highly alkaline when sand is composed of calcium carbonate. It grows most successfully in full sun. [11]
Allocasuarina humilis, commonly known as the dwarf sheoak or dwarf casuarina, is a woody shrub of the family Casuarinaceae endemic to the south-west of Western Australia.
Calocephalus is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. It is endemic to Australia, where it is represented in every state.
Stirlingia latifolia, commonly known as blueboy, is a plant endemic to Western Australia.
Atriplex cinerea, commonly known as grey saltbush, coast saltbush, barilla or truganini, is a plant species in the family Amaranthaceae. It occurs in sheltered coastal areas and around salt lakes in the Australian states of Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales.
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 40cm 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.
Parsonsia brownii, commonly known as twining silkpod or mountain silkpod, is a woody vine of the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. It occurs in rainforest in the states of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania in Australia.
Stenocarpus salignus, known as the scrub beefwood is an Australian rainforest tree in the family Proteaceae. Found in warmer rainforests on the coast and ranges. It is often found in warm temperate rainforest on poorer sedimentary soils, or on volcanic soils above 750 metres above sea level. It was originally described by the botanist Robert Brown in 1810.
Acacia brownii, commonly known as heath wattle, is an erect or spreading shrub which is endemic to eastern Australia.
Melichrus urceolatus, commonly known as urn heath or honey-gland heath, is a species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae. The species is native to Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria in Australia. It is an erect shrub that grows to between 0.2 and 1.5 metres in height. The white, cream or yellow-green flowers, are clustered toward the branch bases and appear between March and November in the species' native range.
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.
Pachymitus is a monotypic plant genus in the mustard family Brassicaceae. The sole species is Pachymitus cardaminoides, commonly known as sand cress, which is native to Australia. It occurs in the states of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
Leucochrysum albicans, commonly known as hoary sunray, is a species of plant in the family Asteraceae. It is endemic to Australia. It grows to 45 cm high and has grey-green woolly leaves that are between 2.5 and 10 cm long and 1 to 9 mm wide. The flowerheads appear between spring and summer. These have yellow centres surrounded by either white or yellow bracts.
Alectryon oleifolius, commonly known as boonaree, inland rosewood or bullock bush, is a species of small tree of the soapberry family Sapindaceae, native to Australia.
Sannantha pluriflora, commonly known as tall baeckea, is a flowering shrub or small tree species in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. It is endemic to Australia. Plants grow to 4 metres high. White flowers appear in groups of three to seven between October and April in the species' native range. These have five rounded petals surrounding 8–15 stamens. The fruits are 2.5 to 3.5 mm in diameter.
Ozothamnus cuneifolius, commonly known as wedge-leaf everlasting or wedge everlasting, is a shrub in the family Asteraceae. It is native to forests of the south-east of New South Wales and Gippsland in Victoria in Australia.
Ozothamnus rogersianus, commonly known as Nunniong everlasting, is a shrub in the family Asteraceae. It is endemic to Victoria, Australia.
Ammannia multiflora, commonly known as many-flower ammannia and jerry-jerry in Victoria, is a species in the family Lythraceae. It is widespread in Asia, tropical and sub-tropical Africa and Australia. It can be found in shallow water and damp heavy soils.
Korthalsella rubra is a flowering plant in the Santalaceae (sandalwood) family, formerly placed in the Viscaceae.
Neville Grant Walsh has worked at the National Herbarium of Victoria from 1977.
Podelepis capillaris, the wiry podolepis, is a hardy small herb endemic to inland and central Australia, it produces a thin stem and a white flower with purple strips underneath each petal.