Olearia gordonii is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to inland southern Queensland. It is a small, erect, spreading shrub with linear leaves and blue, daisy-like inflorescences.

Olearia gordonii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Olearia
Species:
O. gordonii
Binomial name
Olearia gordonii

Description

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Olearia gordonii is a shrub that typically grows to a height of up to 60 cm (24 in). Its stems and leaves are covered with long, simple and glandular hairs. The leaves are arranged alternately along the branchlets, linear to narrowly elliptic, 10–75 mm (0.39–2.95 in) long and 2–8 mm (0.079–0.315 in) wide, the petiole winged and merged with the leaf blade. The heads or daisy-like "flowers" are arranged in loose groups on the ends of branchlets and are 20–30 mm (0.79–1.18 in) in diameter on a peduncle up to 80 mm (3.1 in) long. Each head has 13 to 33 ray florets, the ligule blue and 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) long, surrounding 22 to 69 disc florets. Flowering occurs from January to July and the fruit is a flattened oval, light brown achene 2.7–4.0 mm (0.11–0.16 in) long, the pappus with 20 to 25 bristles.[2]

Taxonomy

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Olearia gordonii was first formally described in 1989 by Nicholas Sèan Lander in the journal Nuytsia from specimens collected on the Thomby Range between Glenmorgan and Surat by David Morrice Gordon.[2][3] The specific epithet (gordonii) honours the collector of the type specimens.[2]

Distribution and habitat

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Olearia gordonii grows in woodland dominated by bendee (Acacia catenulata) between Glenmorgan and Augathella in south-central Queensland.[2]

Conservation status

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This daisy bush is listed as of "least concern" under the Queensland Government Nature Conservation Act 1992.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Olearia gordonii". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d Lander, Nicholas S. (1989). "Taxonomy of Olearia stuartii (Asteraceae: Astereae) and allied species". Nuytsia. 7 (1): 32–34. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Olearia gordonii". APNI. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Species profile - Olearia gordonii". Queensland Government Department of Environment and Science. Retrieved 20 April 2022.