Olearia elliptica
| Sticky daisy bush | |
|---|---|
| |
| Olearia elliptica in the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Olearia |
| Species: | O. elliptica
|
| Binomial name | |
| Olearia elliptica | |
Olearia elliptica, commonly known as the sticky daisy bush,[2] is a shrub in the family Asteraceae and is native to New South Wales and Queensland in eastern Australia. It has scattered, sticky leaves and white flowers in summer and autumn.
Description[edit]
Olearia elliptica is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 2 m (6 ft 7 in) and has scattered, curved, elliptic leaves 20–115 mm (0.79–4.53 in) long, 5–38 mm (0.20–1.50 in) wide on a petiole up to 12 mm (0.47 in) long. The upper surface of the leaves is sticky and the lower surface is a paler green. The heads or daisy-like "flowers" are arranged in loose groups on the ends of branches on a peduncle up to 12 mm (0.47 in) long and are 11–26 mm (0.43–1.02 in) wide. Each head has 8 to 23 white ray florets surrounding 8 to 30 yellow disc florets. Flowering occurs between November and May and the fruit are bristly achenes.[2]
Taxonomy and naming[edit]
Olearia elliptica was first formally described in 1836 by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle who published the description in his 17-volume treatise, Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis.[3][4] The specific epithet (elliptica) is a Latin word meaning "a defective circle" or "an ellipse".[5]
In 1993, Peter Shaw Green described two subspecies of O. elliptica that have been accepted by the Australian Plant Census:[6]
- Olearia elliptica subsp. elliptica has more heads of flowers in the corymb (between 20 and 50) and occurs in continental New South Wales and Queensland;[7]
- Olearia elliptica subsp. praetermissa is a smaller plant with between 8 and 15 flowers in the corymb and is endemic to Lord Howe Island.[8][9] The epithet praetermissa is a Latin word meaning "overlooked", referring to the distinctness of this subspecies having only been recognised recently.[6]
Distribution and habitat[edit]
Subspecies elliptica occurs from Berry northwards along central and eastern New South Wales to the Queensland border.[2] It is found in areas of annual rainfall of over 900 mm in the Sydney Basin.[10]
Use in horticulture[edit]
Sticky daisy bush adapts readily to cultivation, preferring acidic soils in part shade or sun.[9]
References[edit]
- ^ "Olearia elliptica". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
- ^ a b c Lander, Nicholas Sèan. "Olearia elliptica". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
- ^ "Olearia elliptica". APNI. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
- ^ de Candolle, Augustin Pyramus (1836). Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis (Volume 5). Paris: Sumptibus Sociorum Treuttel et Würtz. p. 271. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
- ^ Brown, Roland Wilbur (1956). The Composition of Scientific Words. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 346.
- ^ a b Green, Peter Shaw (1993). "Notes Relating to the Floras of Norfolk & Lord Howe Islands, IV". Kew Bulletin. 48 (2): 311–312. doi:10.2307/4117938. JSTOR 4117938.
- ^ "Olearia elliptica subsp. elliptica". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
- ^ "Olearia elliptica subsp. praetermissa". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
- ^ a b Elliot, Rodger W.; Jones, David L.; Blake, Trevor (1997). Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation:Volume 7 – N-Po. Port Melbourne: Lothian Press. pp. 74–75. ISBN 0-85091-634-8.
- ^ Benson, Doug; McDougall, Lyn (1994). "Ecology of Sydney Plant Species Part 2: Dicotyledon families Asteraceae to Buddlejaceae". Cunninghamia. 3 (4): 895.