Olearia lirata, commonly known as snowy daisy-bush,[2] is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to south-eastern Australia. It is a shrub with lance-shaped leaves and white and cream-coloured to yellow, daisy-like inflorescences.
| Olearia lirata | |
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| In the Langwarrin Flora and Fauna reserve | |
Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Olearia |
| Species: | O. lirata
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| Binomial name | |
| Olearia lirata | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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List
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Description
editOlearia lirata is a shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 4 m (13 ft) and has greyish branchlets. Its leaves are arranged alternately along the branchlets, lance-shaped, 30–150 mm (1.2–5.9 in) long, 5–25 mm (0.20–0.98 in) wide and petiolate, the edges of the leaves sometimes wavy or toothed. The heads or daisy-like "flowers" are arranged in loose groups on the ends of branches on a peduncle 5–12 mm (0.20–0.47 in) long and are 12–25 mm (0.47–0.98 in) in diameter. Each head has three to four rows of bracts forming a hemispherical involucre 3.5–4.5 mm (0.14–0.18 in) long and ten to sixteen white ray florets, the ligule 4–8 mm (0.16–0.31 in) long, surrounding nine to fourteen cream-coloured to yellow disc florets. Flowering occurs from August to January and the fruit is a ribbed achene 1.5–2.0 mm (0.059–0.079 in) long, the pappus 3.5–4.5 mm (0.14–0.18 in) long.[2][3]
Taxonomy
editThis species was first formally described in 1812 by John Sims who gave it the name Aster liratus in The Botanical Magazine from specimens grown in "Knight's exotic nursery".[4][5] In 1917, John Hutchinson changed the name to Olearia lirata in The Gardeners' Chronicle.[6][7] The specific epithet (lirata) means "possessing furrows".[8]
Distribution and habitat
editOlearia lirata grows in moist forest and scrub on the coast and tablelands of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, in eastern Victoria to as far west as the Otway Range, and is widespread and common in Tasmania.[2][3][9]
References
edit- ^ a b "Olearia lirata". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ a b c Walsh, Neville G.; Lander, Nicholas S. "Olearia lirata". Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ a b "Olearia lirata". Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "Aster liratus". APNI. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ Sims, John (1812). "Aster liratus". Curtis's Botanical Magazine. 37: 1509. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "Olearia lirata". APNI. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ Hutchinson, John (1917). "Olearia cunniana and its allies". The Gardener's Chronicle. 61: 3, 14. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
- ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 241. ISBN 9780958034180.
- ^ Jordan, Greg. "Olearia lirata". University of Tasmania. Retrieved 19 May 2022.