''Brachyscome graminea'', commonly known as grass daisy, is a perennial herb in the family

Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae w ...

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 Australia. It has mostly mauve-pink or purple daisy-like flowers and a yellow centre.

Description

''Brachyscome graminea'' is a perennial herb with slender stems rising from the base of the plant or upper leaves. The branches are weak, trailing, about long, either smooth or variably with fine soft glandular hairs. The leaves grow from the base and along the stems, mostly narrow egg-shaped or more linear, long, wide, sharply pointed without a stalk. The leaf edges entire, sometimes fleshy, smooth or with scattered hairs. The flower petals are 8–10 mm (0.31–0.39 in) long, white or mauve, flower head in diameter and the centre yellow. The 15-20 overlapping flower bracts are narrowly elliptic, green, barely toothed and rounded at the tip. The brown fruit are egg-shaped, sticky and long. Flowering occurs from October to May.

Taxonomy and naming

''Brachyscome graminea'' was first formally described in 1858 by Ferdinand Von Mueller and the description was published in '' Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae'' The specific epithet (''graminea'') is a

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

word meaning "grassy" or "of grass".

Distribution and habitat

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

grass daisy is a widespread species growing in coastal districts in wet locations, cliff edges and at higher altitudes in freshwater swamps and streams. In

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

it grows widespread over much of the State in salt laden coastal marshes in the Glenelg River area to Mallacoota. At higher altitudes in freshwater swamps and streams near Benambra and

Omeo Omeo ( ) is a town in Victoria, Australia on the Great Alpine Road, east of Mount Hotham, in the Shire of East Gippsland. At the 2016 census, Omeo had a population of 406. The name is derived from an Aboriginal word for 'mountains' or 'hills ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q50840696 graminea Flora of New South Wales Flora of Tasmania Taxa named by Jacques Labillardière