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Polycalymma

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Polycalymma
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Gnaphalieae
Genus: Polycalymma
F.Muell. & Sond.
Species:
P. stuartii
Binomial name
Polycalymma stuartii
Synonyms[1]

Myriocephalus stuartii (F.Muell. & Sond. ex F.Muell. & Sond.) Benth.

Polycalymma stuartii, the poached egg daisy, is an Australian daisy found abundantly on sand plains and dunefields.[2] Its common name is derived from the poached egg-like appearance of its white flower and yellow centre. It is the only known species of the genus Polycalymma; a member of the tribe Gnaphalieae within the family Asteraceae.[3][4][5] [6][7]

Origin

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The poached egg daisy was named after McDouall Stuart[8] and is Indigenous to a large area of Central Australia. The first scientific description was written in 1853.

Alternative names [9]

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  • ham and eggs daisy
  • fried egg plant
  • bachelors' buttons

Habitat

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The poached egg daisy is found abundantly during good seasons in open communities on sand plans and dune fields[10] in Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.[11][12] This annual daisy thrives in light to medium soil, open sunny communities and is resistant to drought and frost. 

Poached Egg daises

Description[9][13][14]

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Cotyledons

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Two (dicot) narrow lance shaped cotyledon with a tapered base, pointed tips, edges that convex to parallel and a hairless surface.

First leaves

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Narrow lance shaped first leaves with pointed tips and covered in dense short hair.

Leaves

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Alternating leaves with no petiole. leaves are a light green colour, measure 20-70mm long with narrow parallel sides to lance shape with pointed tip, present woolly hairs on upper side and sticky hairs on underside and have smooth edges.

Stems

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Stem is erect and stout, standing 100-500mm tall, somewhat tufted ad is woolly or very sticky with glandular hairs.

Flower head

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Flower heads are compound, hemispherical and white with a yellow centre resembling a poached egg and measure 20-40mm in diameter.

Flowers

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Flowers are tubular, bisexual and yellow with white 5-7mm long petals.

Fruit

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Black cylindrical achene that are woolly or silky with long white hairs.

Roots

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Taproot system.

Ecology

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8 week lifecycle

References

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  1. ^ Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist
  2. ^ "Plants at the AALBG: Poached egg daisy, (Polycalymma stuartii)". Friends of the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden. 2012.
  3. ^ Mueller, Ferdinand Jacob Heinrich von & Sonder, Otto Wilhelm. 1853. Linnaea 25: 494 in Latin
  4. ^ "Tropicos | Name - Polycalymma F. v. Mueller & Sonder". www.tropicos.org. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  5. ^ "IPNI Plant Name Details". www.ipni.org. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  6. ^ "Friends of the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden - Plants: Poached egg daisy, Polycalymma stuartii". www.australian-aridlands-botanic-garden.org. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  7. ^ Australia, Atlas of Living. "Polycalymma | Atlas of Living Australia". bie.ala.org.au. Retrieved 2018-05-16.
  8. ^ Government, Northern Territory (2018-03-25). "Poached egg daisy". alicespringsdesertpark.com.au. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  9. ^ a b "Poached-egg Daisy". www.herbiguide.com.au. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  10. ^ "Friends of the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden - Plants: Poached egg daisy, Polycalymma stuartii". www.australian-aridlands-botanic-garden.org. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  11. ^ "COMPOSITAE (R) – Bushland Conservation Pty Ltd". Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  12. ^ "Tree Element /tree/51308853/51245324". biodiversity.org.au. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  13. ^ "Factsheet - Polycalymma stuartii". keys.lucidcentral.org. Retrieved 2019-06-10.
  14. ^ "PlantNET - FloraOnline". plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 2019-06-10.