''Ozothamnus diosmifolius'' is an erect, woody shrub in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
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 eastern Australia. Common names for this species include rice flower, white dogwood, pill flower and sago bush. It has dense heads of small white "flowers" and is often used in floral arrangements.
Description
''Ozothamnus diosmifolius'' is an erect, much-branched, woody shrub which usually grows to a height of but sometimes much taller. Its branches are rough and densely covered with short hairs. The leaves are sharp-smelling, usually long and wide but inland forms have leaves to wide. As with other plants in the family Asteraceae, each "flower" is actually a
head of flowers, each in diameter. In this species, the "flowers" are themselves arranged in
corymb
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 ...
s, the corymbs in branching
heads containing from a few to hundreds of individual "flowers". The white or pinkish coloration is due to the papery ray florets around individual "flowers".
Taxonomy and naming
Rice flower was first formally described in 1804 by
Étienne Pierre Ventenat
Étienne Pierre Ventenat (1 March 1757 – 13 August 1808) was a French botanist born in Limoges. He was the brother of naturalist Louis Ventenat (1765–1794).
While employed as director of the ecclesiastic library Sainte-Geneviève in Paris ...
who gave it the name ''Gnaphalium diosmifolium'' and published the description in ''Jardin de la Malmaison''.
In 1838,
Augustin Pyramus de Candolle
Augustin Pyramus (or Pyrame) de Candolle (, , ; 4 February 17789 September 1841) was a Swiss botanist. René Louiche Desfontaines launched de Candolle's botanical career by recommending him at a herbarium. Within a couple of years de Candoll ...
changed the name to ''Ozothamnus diosmifolius''.
The
specific epithet (''diosmifolius'') is a reference to the similarity of the leaves of this species and those of ''
Diosma''.
The common names "rice flower" and "sago bush" refer to the appearance of the flowers in bud.
Distribution and habitat
''Ozothamnus diosmifolius'' is widespread on the coast, tablelands and western slopes of
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 ...
and
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
north from
Eden to
Wide Bay. It grows in heath and on rainforest margins, often on ridges.
Ecology
The time of day of pollen release is different from that of stigma exposure, increasing the chances of
cross-pollination
Pollination is the transfer of pollen from an anther of a plant to the stigma of a plant, later enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds, most often by an animal or by wind. Pollinating agents can be animals such as insects, bird ...
.
Cultivation
Prior to the mid-1980s, rice flower was extensively harvested from the wild for the cut flower trade. Following research on the species, commercial cultivation commenced in 1990 and by 1999 there were about 100 growers and exports, mainly to
Japan, had increased to about 600,000 stems.
Gallery
Image:Ozthamn.jpg, ''O. diosmifolius'' buds
Image:Rice flower (3152807736).jpg, leaves and flowers
Image:Ozothamnus diosmifolius (closeup of buds).jpg, pink form
References
External links
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{{Taxonbar, from=Q7116665
diosmifolius
Asterales of Australia
Flora of Queensland
Flora of New South Wales
Plants described in 1804