Olearia ledifolia

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Olearia ledifolia
O.ledifolia (2).jpg
In Mount Field National Park
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Olearia
Species:
O. ledifolia
Binomial name
Olearia ledifolia
O. ledifolia map (2).jpg
Occurrence data from AVH
Synonyms [1]
  • Aster ledifolius A.Cunn. ex DC. nom. inval., pro syn.
  • Eurybia ledifoliaDC.
  • Shawia ledifolia(DC.) Sch.Bip.
Olearia ledifolia dry inflorescence and pappus O. ledifolia (2).jpg
Olearia ledifolia dry inflorescence and pappus

Olearia ledifolia, commonly known as rock daisy bush, is a species of flowering plant of the family Asteraceae. It is endemic to Tasmania and found at higher altitudes where it grows as a low, compact bush with tough, leathery leaves and small white and yellow daisy-like "flowers" in summer.

Contents

Description

Olearia ledifolia typically forms a compact, low lying and rigid shrub about 0.5 m (1 ft 8 in) tall. The branches are numerous and densely packed with young growth covered in fine rust-coloured hairs. The lower sections of the branches may have raised scars from leaves that fall off after one or two years. The dark green leaves are tough and leathery, oblong, approximately 12–14 mm (0.47–0.55 in) long and arranged alternately along the stems. The upper surface of the leaf is usually glabrous, with the margins of the leaf rolled down and inwards. The lower leaf surface is covered in fine hairs that may appear rusty brown to silver. [2] [3] [4] [5]

The heads or daisy-like "flowers" contain numerous florets, with involucral bracts at the base. The heads are daisy-like in appearance with 10 – 12 white ray florets, the ligule approximately 10 mm (0.39 in) long, surrounding deep yellow disc florets. The heads are borne singly on short peduncles in the leaf axils near the tips of branches. The fruit is a shiny, glabrous achene with seed dispersal being assisted by dry, wind borne pappus. Flowering occurs in the southern hemisphere summer months of January and February. [2] [3] [6] [7]

Taxonomy

This species was first formally described in 1836 by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle who gave it the name Eurybia ledifolia in his Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis from specimens collected in rocky places on Mount Wellington by Allan Cunningham. [8] [9] In 1867, George Bentham changed the name to Olearia ledifolia in Flora Australiensis . [7] [10] The specific epithet (ledifolia) is derived from the Greek 'ledos' (woollen cloth) and the Latin 'folium' (leaf), referring to the hairy under surface of the leaves. [11]

Distribution and habitat

Olearia ledifolia is endemic to the island state of Tasmania and has been recorded on King Island. [3] [12] It is a common species in alpine heath, bolster heath, deciduous heath, fjaeldmark, alpine sedgeland and coniferous heath at altitudes above 1000m. [4] [13] Its common name, the rock daisy bush, refers to its preference for sheltered rocky slopes and scree fields amongst mountain plateaus. [11]

Ecology

Olearia ledifolia may become a co-dominant species at higher altitudes where the growth of trees is limited by climatic factors. These environments are subject to snow and ice, low temperatures, strong winds and high UV levels. [14] The primary threat to the plant communities where O. ledifolia grows is fire, with frequent burning greatly decreasing the likelihood of recovery and leading to species impoverishment. [13] [14] However, it is unclear what the response of O. ledifolia is to fire at the species level. [15] Other threats include trampling, grazing pressures from livestock and climate change. [13] [16]

Strongly revolute leaf margins are a frequently recorded xeromorphic adaptions for plants that are subject to water stress, especially when coupled with growths of hair like trichomes. [17] The morphology of the leaf serves to increase the boundary layer between the stomata positioned on the underside of the leaf and the external desiccating environment, thus preventing water loss during gas exchange. [17] [18] The classically thin skeletal soils of alpine Tasmania where O. ledifolia occurs have limited water holding capacity and are often subject to summer drought conditions. [14]

Similar species

Due to its growth habit and the leaf morphology, Olearia ledifolia bears strong superficial resemblance to Orites revoluta (a member of the Proteaceae family) when not bearing reproductive structures. [5] [4] Compounding possible misidentification, these species are regularly found growing in close association with each other. [13] The two species can be separated by the lack of hairy leaves, proteaceous flowers and splitting follicles of O. revoluta. [2]

Cultivation

Olearia ledifolia is rarely cultivated because of its restrictive habitat requirements. However, surface sowing of freshly collected seed that has been allowed to dry has yielded some success, with germination occurring in 2 – 5 weeks. It prefers well-drained, moist, acidic soil in full sun and is frost and wind tolerant. It has proven resistant to the soil-borne disease Phytophthora cinnamomi , but it is intolerant to phosphorus. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Olearia axillaris</i> Species of plant

Olearia axillaris, commonly known as coastal daisy-bush, coast daisy-bush or coastal daisybush is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to coastal areas of Australia. It is an erect, bushy shrub with densely cottony-hairy branchlets, aromatic, linear to narrowly elliptic or narrowly lance-shaped to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base and small white and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.

<i>Olearia ramulosa</i> Species of flowering plant

Olearia ramulosa, commonly known as twiggy daisy-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a shrub with narrowly elliptic, linear or narrowly egg-shaped leaves, and pale blue, mauve or white and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.

<i>Olearia megalophylla</i> Species of shrub

Olearia megalophylla, commonly known as large-leaf daisy bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to south-eastern continental Australia. It is a spreading shrub with egg-shaped to elliptic leaves and white and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.

<i>Olearia erubescens</i> Species of plant

Olearia erubescens, commonly known as moth daisy-bush or pink-tip daisy-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is a shrub with stiff, prickly leaves and white "daisy" flowers, growing up to 2 metres high.

<i>Olearia floribunda</i> Species of plant

Olearia floribunda, commonly known as heath daisy-bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is an upright, spreading shrub with egg-shaped leaves and white and yellow or mauve, daisy-like inflorescences.

<i>Orites revolutus</i> Species of plant in the family Proteaceae endemic to Tasmania

Orites revolutus , also known as narrow-leaf orites, is a Tasmanian endemic plant species in the family Proteaceae. Scottish botanist Robert Brown formally described the species in Transactions of the Linnean Society of London in 1810 from a specimen collected at Lake St Clair. Abundant in alpine and subalpine heath, it is a small to medium shrub 0.5 to 1.5 m tall, with relatively small, blunt leaves with strongly revolute margins. The white flowers grow on terminal spikes during summer. Being proteaceaous, O. revolutus is likely to provide a substantial food source for nectivorous animal species within its range.

<i>Astelia alpina</i> Species of flowering plant

Astelia alpina called pineapple grass, silver astelia, or perching lily is a commonly found species in alpine and subalpine areas of Tasmania and the Australian Alps. It is a perennial herb that typically dominates its environment by growing in dense clusters, called mats, in alpine bogs. There are two subspecies: Astelia alpina var. novae hollandiae from New South Wales and Victoria and Astelia alpina var. alpina endemic to Tasmania. Both subspecies appear very similar to each other. The species was originally described by Robert Brown.

<i>Olearia decurrens</i> Species of shrub

Olearia decurrens, commonly known as the clammy daisy bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to arid, inland Australia. It is a glabrous, sticky, twiggy shrub with narrow egg-shaped to linear leaves sometimes with toothed edges, and white and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.

<i>Exocarpos humifusus</i> Species of flowering plant

Exocarpos humifusus, also known as mountain native-cherry, is a small shrub member of the family Santalaceae, all of which are hemiparasites. Exocarpos humifusus is a dwarfish and sprawling shrub with woody stems, and small dry fruits that grow atop a fleshy red stalk, hence the common name of native-cherry.

<i>Olearia ciliata</i> Species of shrub

Olearia ciliata, commonly known as the fringed daisy bush, is a small shrub with large clusters of bright purple-blue flowers on a single stem.

<i>Abrotanella forsteroides</i> Species of plant

Abrotanella forsteroides, commonly known as the Tasmanian cushion plant, is an endemic angiosperm of Tasmania, Australia. The plant is a dicot species of the daisy family Asteraceae and can be identified by its bright green and compact cushion like appearance. 

<i>Olearia pinifolia</i> Species of shrub

Olearia pinifolia, commonly known as the pine-daisy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a shrub with rigid, linear, sharply-pointed leaves and white and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.

<i>Dracophyllum minimum</i> Species of plant

Dracophyllum minimum, commonly known as heath cushionplant or claspleaf heath, is a species of bolster cushion plant endemic to Tasmania, Australia. It is a low growing, highly compacted plant with white flowers, commonly found in alpine areas of the south, centre and west of Tasmania.

Olearia elaeophila is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is a small shrub with scattered linear leaves, and white or blue and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.

Olearia hookeri, commonly known as crimsontip daisybush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a sticky shrub with small, narrowly linear leaves and white to bluish-purple and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.

Olearia hygrophila, commonly known as swamp daisy or water daisy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to a restricted part of North Stradbroke Island in south-eastern Queensland. It is a shrub with slender stems, linear leaves and white and yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.

<i>Olearia obcordata</i> Species of flowering plant

Olearia obcordata is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a shrub that typically grows to a height of less than 3 ft (0.91 m). It usually has wedge-shaped leaves arranged alternately along the branchlets, the narrower end towards the base, with three or five teeth on the ends. The flowers are arranged singly in leaf axils and are few in number with up to six ray florets.

Olearia persoonioides is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a bushy shrub that typically grows to a height of 1.0–1.5 m. Its leaves are arranged alternately, oblong or egg-shaped with the narrower end towards the base, and 19–38 mm (0.75–1.50 in) long. They are shiny green on the upper surface and covered with silvery hairs on the lower side. The heads or daisy-like "flowers" are arranged in leafy panicles with 3 to 8 white ray florets surrounding 10 to 12 disc florets. Flowering occurs in January.

<i>Olearia ramosissima</i> Species of plant

Olearia ramosissima, commonly known as much-branched daisy bush, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to continental Australia. It is a straggly shrub with densely-crowded, elliptic, egg-shaped or triangular leaves, and blue to violet and blue or yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.

<i>Olearia tasmanica</i> Species of Asteraceae

Olearia tasmainca is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Tasmania. It is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 1.0–1.5 m and has oblong to egg-shaped leaves with the narrower end towards the base, 19–40 mm (0.75–1.57 in) long and with a blunt tip. The heads or daisy-like "flowers" have up to 8 ray florets. Flowering mainly occurs in January and the fruit is a smooth achene.

References

  1. 1 2 "Olearia ledifolia". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Howells, Christine (2012). Tasmania's natural flora (Second ed.). Hobart, Tasmania. ISBN   978-0-909830-66-3. OCLC   803605684.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. 1 2 3 Launceston Field Naturalists Club (1999). Cameron, Mary (ed.). A guide to flowers & plants of Tasmania (revised ed.). Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: New Holland. ISBN   1-876334-35-5. OCLC   222625500.
  4. 1 2 3 Kirkpatrick, Jamie B.; Dombrovskis, Peter; Davis, Georgina; Eberhard, Jo (1997). Alpine Tasmania : an illustrated guide to the flora and vegetation. Melbourne: Oxford University Press. ISBN   0-19-553753-X. OCLC   37215997.
  5. 1 2 "Key to Tasmanian Dicots" . Retrieved 2021-03-15.
  6. ↑ "Descriptions of Dicot families". www.utas.edu.au. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
  7. 1 2 Bentham, George (1867). Flora Australiensis. Vol. 3. London: Lovell Reeve & Co. p. 472. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  8. ↑ "Eurybia ledifolia". APNI. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  9. ↑ de Candolle, Augustin Pyramus (1836). Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis. Vol. 5. Paris: Sumptibus Sociorum Treuttel et Würtz. p. 269. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  10. ↑ "Olearia ledifolia". APNI. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  11. 1 2 Wapstra, Mark (2010). Tasmanian plant names unravelled. Launceston, Tas: Fullers Bookshop. ISBN   9780980472028.
  12. ↑ Herbaria, jurisdiction:Australian Government Departmental Consortium;corporateName:Council of Heads of Australasian. "Partners". avh.ala.org.au. Retrieved 2021-03-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  13. 1 2 3 4 Harris, Stephen; Kitchener, Anne (2005). From Forest to Fjaeldmark : descriptions of Tasmania's vegetation. Hobart: Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment. ISBN   0-7246-6364-9. OCLC   183151378.
  14. 1 2 3 Reid, James B. (2005). Vegetation of Tasmania. [Canberra, A.C.T.]: Australian Biological Resources Study. ISBN   0-646-44512-X. OCLC   224722819.
  15. ↑ Kirkpatrick, J. B.; Dickinson, K. J. M. (1984). "The Impact of Fire on Tasmanian Alpine Vegetation and Soils". Australian Journal of Botany. 32 (6): 613–629. doi:10.1071/bt9840613. ISSN   1444-9862.
  16. ↑ "Alpine Vegetation | Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Tasmania". dpipwe.tas.gov.au. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
  17. 1 2 Mooney, Harold A. (1991). Response of plants to multiple stresses. Harold A. Mooney. San Diego: Academic Press. ISBN   1-299-19283-1. OCLC   817706274.
  18. ↑ Fahn, Abraham (1986-05-01). "Structural and Functional Properties of Trichomes of Xeromorphic Leaves". Annals of Botany. 57 (5): 631–637. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a087146. ISSN   0305-7364.
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