''Brachyscome'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Most are endemic to
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
The genus name is spelled ''Brachycome'' by some authors.
Henri Cassini
Count Alexandre Henri Gabriel de Cassini (9 May 1781 – 23 April 1832) was a French botanist and natural history, naturalist, who specialised in the sunflower family (Asteraceae) (then known as family Compositae).
He was the youngest of five chi ...
published the name ''Brachyscome'' in 1816, forming it from the classical Greek ''brachys'' ("short") and ''kome'' ("hair"), a reference to the very short pappus bristles. Because the combining form of ''brachys'' in Greek compound words is ''brachy-'', Cassini later corrected the spelling to ''Brachycome''. Australian taxonomists still debate whether Cassini's corrected spelling is admissible under the rules of
botanical nomenclature
Botanical nomenclature is the formal, scientific naming of plants. It is related to, but distinct from Alpha taxonomy, taxonomy. Plant taxonomy is concerned with grouping and classifying plants; botanical nomenclature then provides names for the ...
. A proposal to conserve ''Brachycome'' was rejected in 1993 by the Committee for Spermatophyta.Brummitt, R. K. (1993) Report of the Committee for Spermatophyta: 38. ''Taxon'' 42(3), 687-97.
Genetics
One of the annual plains species, ''
Brachyscome dichromosomatica
''Brachyscome'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Most are endemic to Australia, and a few occur in New Zealand and New Guinea.chromosome count. In this species ''n''=2, though some plants have 1, 2 or 3 additional large
B chromosomes
In addition to the normal karyotype, wild populations of many animal, plant, and fungi species contain B chromosomes (also known as supernumerary, accessory, (conditionally-)dispensable, or lineage-specific chromosomes). By definition, these chr ...
.Carter, C. R. (1978). Taxonomy of the ''Brachycome lineariloba'' complex (Asteraceae). ''Telopea'' 5, 387-93. The genus has an unusually large range of chromosome counts, from ''n''=2 to ''n''=18.
herbs
In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...
and small
shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
s. Species have a basal rosette of leaves and/or leaves alternately arranged on the stem. The blades are entire or divided. The
flower heads
A pseudanthium (Greek for "false flower"; ) is an inflorescence that resembles a flower. The word is sometimes used for other structures that are neither a true flower nor a true inflorescence. Examples of pseudanthia include flower heads, compos ...
are solitary or borne in small
corymbs
Corymb is a botanical term for an inflorescence with the flowers growing in such a fashion that the outermost are borne on longer pedicels than the inner, bringing all flowers up to a common level. A corymb has a flattish top with a superficial re ...
. The head has a row of ray florets in shades of white, blue, pink, or mauve, and yellow disc florets.
Fruit
The genus is distinguished from other genera in tribe
Astereae
Astereae is a tribe of plants in the family Asteraceae that includes annuals, biennials, perennials, subshrubs, shrubs, and trees. They are found primarily in temperate regions of the world. Plants within the tribe are present nearly worldwide di ...
achene
An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and indehiscent (they do not ope ...
s or cypselas are roughly club-shaped but usually incurved and flattened. They often have a membranous rim or wing around the edge that is sometimes wavy or fringed. The pappus is less than one millimeter long in most species.Everett, J. "''Brachycome''". In: Harden, G. J. (ed.) ''Flora of New South Wales'' volume 3, pages 155-67. University of New South Wales Press. 1992.
Some ''Brachyscome'' species, notably ''Brachyscome iberidifolia'' (Swan river daisy), are popular as easily cultivated ornamental plants for flower gardens, and many cultivars are bred for their form, foliage, and flowers.
Species
There are between 65 and 80 species in the genus.''Brachyscome''. The Plant List.
Species include:
*''
Brachyscome aculeata
''Brachyscome aculeata'', commonly known as hill daisy is a tufted perennial herb in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Australia. It has mostly white daisy-like flowers, a yellow centre, variable shaped leaves and flowers in spring to autum ...
'' – hill daisy
*''
Brachyscome ascendens
''Brachyscome ascendens'', the border ranges daisy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Australia. It has mostly mauve daisy-like flowers and a yellow centre.
Description
''Brachyscome ascendens'' is a her ...
''
*''
Brachyscome basaltica
''Brachyscome basaltica'', commonly known as swamp daisy, is a perennial herb in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Australia. It has mostly white daisy-like flowers and a yellow centre.
Description
''Brachyscome basaltica'' is a perennia ...
'' – swamp daisy
*''
Brachyscome chrysoglossa
''Brachyscome chrysoglossa'', the yellow-tongue daisy, is a perennial herb from Australia in the family Asteraceae. The species is endemic to Australia.
Description
This species has an erect growth habit, ranging between 15 and 40 cm in h ...
'' - yellow-tongue daisy
*''
Brachyscome ciliaris
''Brachyscome ciliaris'', commonly known as variable daisy, is a small bushy perennial herb with a prominent flower, which occurs throughout most of temperate Australia
Description
It grows as a bushy perennial herb up to 45 centimetre in heigh ...
Brachyscome dentata
''Brachyscome dentata'', commonly known as lobe-seed daisy, is a tufted perennial herb in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Australia. It has mostly white or mauve daisy-like flowers, a yellow centre and pale green leaves. It is endemic to ...
''
*''
Brachyscome graminea
''Brachyscome graminea'', commonly known as grass daisy, is a perennial herb in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Australia. It has mostly mauve-pink or purple daisy-like flowers and a yellow centre.
Description
''Brachyscome graminea'' ...