Actinotus helianthi
Encyclopedia
Actinotus helianthi known as the Flannel Flower, is a common sight in bushland around Sydney
, Australia
.
Despite its appearance, it is not a member of the daisy family
but rather a species of flowering plant of the Apiaceae
(formerly Mackinlayaceae
) family
, the same family as the carrot
. Its generic name
, meaning "furnished with rays", is derived from the Greek
stem aktin-/ακτιν- "ray" or "spoke of a wheel" or "sunbeam", while its specific epithet is derived from its resemblance to the genus Helianthus
. An iconic Sydney plant, its floral display has horticultural appeal which has seen limited use in the home garden and cut flower industry. It grows alongside the related Lesser Flannel Flower
.
shrub
growing up to 50 cm (18 in) high, although rare specimens can be found to be 1.5 m (5 feet) high. The stem, branches and leaves of the plant are a pale grey in colour, covered in downy hair (rather like a flannel in texture). The attractively lobed leaves are up to 10 cm (4 in) long and 7 cm (3 in) wide, with daisy
-shaped flowerheads around 5 or occasionally 8 cm (2-3 in) in diameter. The bract
s are cream to white in colour. Flowering occurs in spring and may be profuse after bushfires.
Flannel flowers grow in sandstone
heathland
in coastal New South Wales
and Queensland
, and are commonly seen around the Sydney basin in spring.
. The Mount Annan Botanic Garden
has been involved in selecting and breeding superior cultivars for the home garden and the cut flower industry. One selection developed thus far has been named Actinotus "Federation Star", and was chosen to be the New South Wales floral emblem for the Centenary of Federation (1901-2001).
The flannel flower is an iconic Sydney plant and has been used in imagery and art since colonial times.
In St Bede's Church, Drummoyne
in Sydney
's western suburbs, the early 20th century work The Waratah window by Alfred Handel depicts Australian native flowers, including the red Waratah
, emblem of the state of New South Wales; as well as Flannel Flowers, Christmas Bells
and Wattle
.
It is also the Australian symbol for mental health awareness
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Despite its appearance, it is not a member of the daisy family
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
but rather a species of flowering plant of the Apiaceae
Apiaceae
The Apiaceae , commonly known as carrot or parsley family, is a group of mostly aromatic plants with hollow stems. The family is large, with more than 3,700 species spread across 434 genera, it is the sixteenth largest family of flowering plants...
(formerly Mackinlayaceae
Mackinlayaceae
Mackinlayoideae is a subfamily of plants containing about 67 species in six genera. In the APG II system it was treated at family rank as Mackinlayaceae, but since then it has been demoted to a subfamily of Apiaceae....
) family
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...
, the same family as the carrot
Carrot
The carrot is a root vegetable, usually orange in colour, though purple, red, white, and yellow varieties exist. It has a crisp texture when fresh...
. Its generic name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
, meaning "furnished with rays", is derived from the Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
stem aktin-/ακτιν- "ray" or "spoke of a wheel" or "sunbeam", while its specific epithet is derived from its resemblance to the genus Helianthus
Helianthus
Helianthus L. is a genus of plants comprising 52 species in the Asteraceae family, all of which are native to North America, with some species Helianthus L. is a genus of plants comprising 52 species in the Asteraceae family, all of which are native to North America, with some species Helianthus...
. An iconic Sydney plant, its floral display has horticultural appeal which has seen limited use in the home garden and cut flower industry. It grows alongside the related Lesser Flannel Flower
Actinotus minor
Actinotus minor, the Lesser Flannel Flower is a common plant growing in heathland in moist areas not far from Sydney, Australia.A small shrub, 15 to 50 cm tall, with white flowers, similar to the related and more famous Flannel Flower....
.
Description
The flannel flower is generally a herbaceousHerbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
growing up to 50 cm (18 in) high, although rare specimens can be found to be 1.5 m (5 feet) high. The stem, branches and leaves of the plant are a pale grey in colour, covered in downy hair (rather like a flannel in texture). The attractively lobed leaves are up to 10 cm (4 in) long and 7 cm (3 in) wide, with daisy
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
-shaped flowerheads around 5 or occasionally 8 cm (2-3 in) in diameter. The bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
s are cream to white in colour. Flowering occurs in spring and may be profuse after bushfires.
Flannel flowers grow in sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
heathland
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
in coastal New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, and are commonly seen around the Sydney basin in spring.
Cultivation
Plants may be propagated by seed or cutting and grow in a well-drained sunny position, and are suitable for use in a rockery or cottage gardenCottage garden
The cottage garden is a distinct style of garden that uses an informal design, traditional materials, dense plantings, and a mixture of ornamental and edible plants. English in origin, the cottage garden depends on grace and charm rather than grandeur and formal structure...
. The Mount Annan Botanic Garden
Mount Annan Botanic Garden
Mount Annan Botanic Garden is a 416 hectare botanical garden in a hilly area of the southwestern Sydney suburb of Mount Annan, between Campbelltown and Camden, Australia. The Garden opened to the public in 1988, specializing in native plants, with a collection of over 4000 species. It is the...
has been involved in selecting and breeding superior cultivars for the home garden and the cut flower industry. One selection developed thus far has been named Actinotus "Federation Star", and was chosen to be the New South Wales floral emblem for the Centenary of Federation (1901-2001).
Popular culture
In St Bede's Church, Drummoyne
Drummoyne, New South Wales
Drummoyne is a suburb in the inner west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 6 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Canada Bay....
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
's western suburbs, the early 20th century work The Waratah window by Alfred Handel depicts Australian native flowers, including the red Waratah
Telopea speciosissima
Telopea speciosissima, commonly known as the New South Wales waratah or simply waratah, is a large shrub in the plant family Proteaceae. It is endemic to New South Wales in Australia and is the floral emblem of that state...
, emblem of the state of New South Wales; as well as Flannel Flowers, Christmas Bells
Blandfordia
Blandfordia is a genus of flowering plants, placed in the family Blandfordiaceae of the order Asparagales of the monocots. The genus is native to eastern Australia. Plants in this genus are commonly referred to as Christmas Bells due to the shape of their flowers and the timing of their flowering...
and Wattle
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
.
It is also the Australian symbol for mental health awareness
External links
- http://asgap.org.au/a-hel.htmlASGAPAssociation of Societies for Growing Australian PlantsThe Australian Native Plants Society is a federation of seven state-based member organizations for people interested in Australia's native flora, both in aspects of conservation and in cultivation....
page on Actinotus helianthi] - http://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2002/actinotus-helianthi.htmlANBGAustralian National Botanic GardensThe Australian National Botanic Gardens are located in Canberra and are administered by the Australian Government's Department of the Environment and Heritage....
page on Actinotus helianthi, with note on "Federation Star"]