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Bedfordia facts for kids

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Bedfordia
Bedfordia arborescens.jpg
Bedfordia arborescens
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
(unranked):
(unranked):
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Order:
Family:
Tribe:
Senecioneae
Genus:
Bedfordia

Species

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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.

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:

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Bedfordia para niños

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