Actinodium cunninghamii
Encyclopedia
Actinodium cunninghamii is a shrub species of the family
Myrtaceae
, endemic to Western Australia
.
A common name, Albany Daisy, indicates its distribution in Southwest Australia
, occurring inland from the southern coast near Albany
and on the Esperance Plains
to the Fitzgerald River
. The flower head, around 400 mm across, is composed of compacted pinkish flowers surrounded by a white fringe of infertile elongated flowers; these appear between August and November. Cultivation notes compare it with its near relations of Darwinia
, and not widely developed as a gardin plant, successful propagation is achieved from cuttings. The low shrub, no higher than 0.5 meters, has stem clasping leaves and occurs in sandy wet areas; and so also known as Swamp Daisy.
The specific epithet commemorates Allan Cunningham
. The species was described in 1836 by Johannes Conrad Schauer
. An image was engraved for an Australian Stamp in 1985.
The genus Actinodium
has been described as monotypic. Florabase
lists this species, with a wider distribution in Western regions, with another, unnamed species restricted to the aforementioned regions to the east of Albany.
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Myrtaceae
Myrtaceae
The Myrtaceae or Myrtle family are a family of dicotyledon plants, placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, clove, guava, feijoa, allspice, and eucalyptus belong here. All species are woody, with essential oils, and flower parts in multiples of four or five...
, endemic to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
A common name, Albany Daisy, indicates its distribution in Southwest Australia
Southwest Australia
Southwest Australia is a biodiversity hotspot that includes the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregions of Western Australia. The region has a wet-winter, dry-summer Mediterranean climate, one of five such regions in the world...
, occurring inland from the southern coast near Albany
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
and on the Esperance Plains
Esperance Plains
Esperance Plains, also known as Eyre Botanical District, is a biogeographic region in southern Western Australia. Located on the south coast between the Avon Wheatbelt and Hampton regions, and bordered to the north by the Mallee region, it is a plain punctuated by granite and quartz outcrops and...
to the Fitzgerald River
Fitzgerald River (Western Australia)
The Fitzgerald River is a river in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.Surveyor General John Septimus Roe discovered and named the river during expeditions in the area in 1848 after the governor of Western Australia of the day, Charles Fitzgerald....
. The flower head, around 400 mm across, is composed of compacted pinkish flowers surrounded by a white fringe of infertile elongated flowers; these appear between August and November. Cultivation notes compare it with its near relations of Darwinia
Darwinia
Darwinia may refer to:*Darwinia , a genus of Myrtaceae found only in Australia*Darwinia , a 2005 video game by Introversion Software*Darwinia , a 1998 novel by Robert Charles Wilson...
, and not widely developed as a gardin plant, successful propagation is achieved from cuttings. The low shrub, no higher than 0.5 meters, has stem clasping leaves and occurs in sandy wet areas; and so also known as Swamp Daisy.
The specific epithet commemorates Allan Cunningham
Allan Cunningham (botanist)
Allan Cunningham was an English botanist and explorer, primarily known for his travels in New South Wales to collect plants.- Early life :...
. The species was described in 1836 by Johannes Conrad Schauer
Johannes Conrad Schauer
Johannes Conrad Schauer was a botanist interested in Spermatophytes. He was a professor of botany at the University of Greifswald. Amongst his published works are descriptions of the myrtles of Western Australia.-References:...
. An image was engraved for an Australian Stamp in 1985.
The genus Actinodium
Actinodium
Actinodium is a genus of the botanical family Myrtaceae, endemic to Western Australia.There are two species:*Actinodium calocephalum N.G.Marchant ms *Actinodium cunninghamii Schauer - Albany Daisy...
has been described as monotypic. Florabase
FloraBase
FloraBase is a public access web-based database of the flora of Western Australia. It provides authoritative scientific information on 12,978 taxa, including descriptions, maps, images, conservation status and nomenclatural details...
lists this species, with a wider distribution in Western regions, with another, unnamed species restricted to the aforementioned regions to the east of Albany.
External links
- CSIRO image
- Australian Plant Image Index Genus = Actinodium=