Heath daisy-bush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Heath daisy-bush |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
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Astereae
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| Genus: |
Olearia
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| Species: |
O. floribunda
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| Binomial name | |
| Olearia floribunda |
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Olearia floribunda, also known as the heath daisy-bush, is a type of flowering plant. It belongs to the Asteraceae family, which is a large group of plants that includes daisies and sunflowers. This plant is a shrub that grows in parts of Australia.
What Does the Heath Daisy-Bush Look Like?
The heath daisy-bush (Olearia floribunda) is a woody shrub. It usually grows to be about 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6.5 feet) tall. Its branches are often covered in soft, white, matted hairs.
The leaves of this plant are small and grow very close together. They are shaped like an egg and are about 0.8 to 2.5 millimeters long and 1 millimeter wide. The edges of the leaves are slightly curled upwards. The top of the leaves is mostly smooth, while the underside has soft hairs and a clear middle vein.
The plant produces single white "daisy" flowers. These flowers grow in clusters at the ends of the branches. Each flower is about 8 to 13 millimeters across. The flower has overlapping bracts, which are like small, leaf-like structures. These bracts are arranged in rows of 3 or 4.
The white or pale-pink "petals" are actually called ligules. They are oblong shaped and about 3 to 5 millimeters long. The center of the flower has 2 to 8 yellow or mauve disk florets. After flowering, the plant produces small, needle-shaped fruits. These fruits are about 1.5 to 2 millimeters long and are covered in short, dense hairs.
This plant usually flowers between July and February in its natural home. It can also bloom at other times of the year.
How Was This Plant Named?
The heath daisy-bush was first officially described in 1847. A scientist named Joseph Dalton Hooker gave it the name Eurybia floribunda. He published his description in a scientific paper called the London Journal of Botany.
Later, in 1867, another scientist named George Bentham changed its name. He renamed it Olearia floribunda and published this new description in his book Flora Australiensis.
The second part of the plant's name, floribunda, comes from Latin words. Floridus means "full of flowers," and abundus means "copious" or "abounding." So, floribunda means "flowering freely" or "full of flowers."
Where Does the Heath Daisy-Bush Grow?
The heath daisy-bush is found in several parts of Australia. In New South Wales, it grows in eucalypt woodlands and near wetland areas. You can find it south of West Wyalong.
In South Australia, this plant grows in heathlands and shrublands. It prefers sandy soils, especially in areas near the coast.
The species is very common in Victoria. It grows in many different types of places. You can find it from southern Victoria all the way north to areas around Corryong. It grows in both lower areas and higher subalpine regions.
