Bedfordia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bedfordia |
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| Bedfordia arborescens | |
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Senecioneae
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Bedfordia
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see text |
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Bedfordia is a group of three types of flowering plants. They belong to the Asteraceae family, which also includes daisies and sunflowers. All three Bedfordia species are found only in Australia. This means they are endemic to Australia.
Contents
What Bedfordia Plants Look Like
Bedfordia plants can be shrubs or small trees.
Stems and Leaves
The young branches and the underside of their leaves are covered in tiny, star-shaped hairs. These hairs also cover the part around the flower heads.
The leaves grow in two rows along the branches. They are not paired. The edges of the leaves can be smooth or have small, rounded bumps. Each leaf has a stalk.
Flowers
The flowers grow in dense clusters. These clusters are found where the leaves meet the stem. They are shorter than the leaves.
Each flower head is flat and round. It is surrounded by a hairy leaf-like part called a bract at its base. The individual flowers are tube-shaped. They have both male and female parts. These tiny flowers are only a bit longer than the bract.
Fruits and Reproduction
The fruits of Bedfordia are called achenes. They are shaped like cylinders, have grooves, and are not hairy.
Each achene has a feathery top called a pappus. The bristles of the pappus have fine teeth. They are twice as long as the achenes.
Sometimes, different Bedfordia species can mix. For example, B. salicina can blend with B. arborescens (a tree) and B. linearis (a shrub).
How Bedfordia Got Its Name
The name Bedfordia was first officially used in 1833. It was named by a Swiss botanist named Augustin Pyramus de Candolle. He named the genus to honor John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford.
Types of Bedfordia Species
There are three main species in the Bedfordia genus:
- Bedfordia arborescens (tree blanket leaf) - found in eastern Australia
- Bedfordia linearis (slender blanket leaf) - found in Tasmania
- Bedfordia salicina (blanket leaf) - found in Tasmania
See also
In Spanish: Bedfordia para niños
