Celmisia saxifraga

Celmisia saxifraga, commonly known as the small snowdaisy, is a perennial herb in the Asteraceae family. It is native to Tasmania and Victoria, where it grows in alpine grasslands above the snowline.[3]

Small snowdaisy
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Celmisia
Species:
C. saxifraga
Binomial name
Celmisia saxifraga

Description

Like other members of the Asteraceae family, C. saxifraga has a composite flower head with both disk and ray florets.[4] Inflorescence are a typical daisy arrangement with white outsides and a yellow centre. The entire inflorescence can be 3 cm across, and is often held well above the rosette on a hairy stem growing to 15 cm.[5] The fruit is small, hard, and dry, similar to a sunflower seed.[6] This is often called an achene, but in Asteraceae is more accurately called a cypsela. [7] The primary difference between the two being that a cypsela is a single fruit formed from two ovaries (as in C. saxifraga) while an achene describes a fruit formed from a single ovary.[8] The leaves of C. saxifraga are simple and entire, growing to 3 cm long. They are glaucous silver and hairy.[9] C. saxifraga can be distinguished from the similar and co-occurring C. asteliifolia by its leaves.[10] The leaves of C. saxifraga are shorter (~3 cm) than those of C. asteliifolia (up to 18 cm).[11]

Etymology

"Saxifraga" is a combination of the Latin words saxum, meaning "stone", and frangere meaning "to break". The name "stone-breaker" is however thought to refer to plant in the genus Saxifraga being used in treating kidney stones.[12] It is unclear whether C. saxifraga is named for breaking rocks or for its similarity to certain Saxifraga species which are also herbaceous and rosette-forming.

References
  1. "Celmisia saxifraga". Plants of the World Online. Kew Royal Botanical Gardens. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  2. Curtis, W. M. (1968). "New Combination in Celmisia". Taxon. 17 (4): 467. doi:10.2307/1217425. JSTOR 1217425.
  3. Curtis, W.M; Bentham, George. "Celmisia saxifraga". Alpine Garden Society. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  4. "Asteraceae". Britannica. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  5. Howell, Christine; Whiting, Jenny; Roberts, Jill; Reeves, Ricky; Taylor, Frank; Taylor, Verity (2012). Tasmania's Natural Flora (2nd ed.). Devenport, Tasmania: Tasmania's Natural Flora Editorial Committee. p. 57. ISBN 9780909830663.
  6. Howell, Christine; Whiting, Jenny; Roberts, Jill; Reeves, Ricky; Taylor, Frank; Taylor, Verity (2012). Tasmania's Natural Flora (2nd ed.). Devenport, Tasmania: Tasmania's Natural Flora Editorial Committee. p. 57. ISBN 9780909830663.
  7. Evans, William Charles (2009). "Plant description, morphology and anatomy". Trease and Evans' Pharmacognosy. Sixteenth edition: 541–550. doi:10.1016/B978-0-7020-2933-2.00041-1. ISBN 9780702029332. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  8. "Cypsela". Encyclopedia.com. Oxford University Press. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  9. Howell, Christine; Whiting, Jenny; Roberts, Jill; Reeves, Ricky; Taylor, Frank; Taylor, Verity (2012). Tasmania's Natural Flora (2nd ed.). Devenport, Tasmania: Tasmania's Natural Flora Editorial Committee. p. 57. ISBN 9780909830663.
  10. "Celmisia saxifraga". Key to Tasmanian Dicots. UTAS. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  11. "Celmisia Asteliifolia". Key to Tasmanian Vascular Plants. UTAS. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  12. "Saxifraga". Cambridge University Botanic Garden. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
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