''Leucochrysum graminifolium'', commonly known as pagoda rock daisy, is a flowering plant 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 ...

. It is a small perennial with narrow leaves, yellow flower-heads 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 elsew ...

to New South Wales.

Description

''Leucochrysum graminifolium'' is upright, small, tufted perennial herb to high with a woody rootstock. The leaves are greyish-green, thread-like, crowded, up to long, edges rolled, upper surface smooth, lower surface woolly. The single daisy-like yellow flowers are on slender peducles about long, the

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...

s are spreading, in diameter, arranged in multiple rows. The outer bracts are light brown, the inner bracts pale yellow and the edges of the bracts are woolly at the base. Flowering occurs from October to March and the fruit is long and bristly.

Taxonomy and naming

In 1960,

Paul G.Wilson Paul Graham Wilson (born 1928) is an Australian botanist. He has been a most prolific contributor to the journal ''Nuytsia'', contributing to the first issue in 1970 and to the 12th volume in 1998, which was dedicated to him for his contribution ...

described a new variety of ''Helipterum albicans'' that he gave the name var. ''graminifolium'' in ''

Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia The Royal Society of South Australia (RSSA) is a learned society whose interest is in science, particularly, but not only, of South Australia. The major aim of the society is the promotion and diffusion of scientific knowledge, particularly in rel ...

''. In 1992 Wilson raised the variety to species status as ''Leucochrysum graminifolium'' in the journal ''

Nuytsia ''Nuytsia floribunda'' is a hemiparasitic tree found in Western Australia. The species is known locally as moodjar and, more recently, the Christmas tree or Western Australian Christmas tree. The display of intensely bright flowers during the ...

''.The

specific epithet In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

(''graminifolium'') means "grass leaf".

Distribution and habitat

Pagoda rock daisy grows on sandy soil in exposed places between the Lithgow district,

Newnes Newnes (), an abandoned oil shale mining site of the Wolgan Valley, is located in the Central Tablelands region of New South Wales, Australia. The site that was operational in the early 20th century is now partly surrounded by Wollemi Nationa ...

and the Wolgan Valley in New South Wales.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15549747 Gnaphalieae Flora of New South Wales Plants described in 1960 Taxa named by Paul Graham Wilson