''Actinodium cunninghamii'', commonly known as swamp daisy or Albany daisy, is the only formally described species in the genus of flowering plants in the family

Myrtaceae Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All sp ...

, ''Actinodium'' and is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to Western Australia.

Description

''Actinodium cunninghamii'' is a small, compact shrub that typically grows to a height of up to with leaves about long and wide. The flowers are borne in pinkish-brown, daisy-like heads in diameter. The heads are made up of tiny, bell-shaped flowers surrounded by sterile, strap-like ray flowers. A related, but as yet undescribed species presently given the name ''Actinodium'' sp. 'Fitzgerald River' and also commonly known as Albany daisy, is a sparsely-branched shrub up to high with leaves long, the heads pink and white and wide. This species is more common than ''A. cunninghamii''.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Actinodium'' was first formally described in 1836 by

Johannes Conrad Schauer Johannes Conrad Schauer (16 February 1813 – 24 October 1848) was a botanist interested in Spermatophytes. He was born in Frankfurt am Main and attended the gymnasium of Mainz from 1825 to 1837. For the next three years he worked at the Hofgar ...

in the journal ''Linnaea, Ein Journal für die Botanik in ihrem ganzen Umfange'' and Schauer later described ''Actinodium cunninghamii'' in

John Lindley John Lindley FRS (5 February 1799 – 1 November 1865) was an English botanist, gardener and orchidologist. Early years Born in Catton, near Norwich, England, John Lindley was one of four children of George and Mary Lindley. George Lindley w ...

's ''A Natural System of Botany'' from specimens collected by Allan Cunningham. The genus name is derived from Greek and means "like the spokes of a wheel".

Distribution and habitat

''Actinodium cunninghamii'' grows in moist, sandy soil in forest and

kwongan Kwongan is plant community found in south-western Western Australia. The name is a Bibbelmun (Noongar) Aboriginal term of wide geographical use defined by Beard (1976) as Kwongan has replaced other terms applied by European botanists such as ...

and is uncommon in nature. Both species of ''Actinodium'' usually grow in winter-wet depressions in near-coastal areas near Albany in the south-west of Western Australia.

Use in horticulture

''Actinodium'' sp. 'Fitgerald River' (sometimes as ''A. cunninghamii'') has been grown in gardens but is a short-lived plant requiring good drainage and a sheltered position. It can be propagated from cuttings.

Cultural references

An image of ''A. cunninghamii'' was engraved for an Australian Stamp in 1985.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2711307 Rosids of Western Australia Monotypic Myrtaceae genera Myrtales of Australia Myrtaceae Plants described in 1836 Taxa named by Johannes Conrad Schauer Endemic flora of Southwest Australia