Olearia revoluta is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. It is an erect, rounded shrub with linear to oblong leaves with the edges rolled under, and white daisy-like inflorescences.

Olearia revoluta
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Olearia
Species:
O. revoluta
Binomial name
Olearia revoluta
Synonyms[1]
  • Aster revolutus (Benth.) F.Muell.
  • Olearia revoluta Benth. var. revoluta

Description edit

Olearia revoluta is an erect, rounded shrub that typically grows to a height of 0.5–1.2 m (1 ft 8 in – 3 ft 11 in) and has many branches. The leaves are linear to oblong, 6.5–13 mm (0.26–0.51 in) long with the edges rolled under, the lower surface woolly-hairy. The heads or daisy-like "flowers" are arranged in leaf axils and are sessile or on a short peduncle with an oval to top-shaped involucre at the base. Each head has 4 to 8 white ray florets surrounding 6 to 10 disc florets. Flowering occurs between May and November.[2][3]

Taxonomy edit

Olearia revoluta was first described in 1867 by George Bentham in Flora Australiensis from specimens collected by Augustus Oldfield between the Murchison and southern Hutt Rivers.[3][4] The specific epithet (revoluta) means "revolute", referring to the edges of the leaves.[5]

Distribution and habitat edit

This olearia grows in sand over sandstone, on the sandplains toward Geraldton and beyond Esperance in the Avon Wheatbelt, Esperance Plains, Geraldton Sandplains and Yalgoo bioregions of south-western Western Australia.[2]

Ecology edit

The seeds are harvested by the western rosella subspecies Platycercus icterotis icterotis.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Olearia revoluta". Australian Plant Census. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Olearia revoluta". FloraBase. Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
  3. ^ a b Bentham, George; von Mueller, Ferdinand (1867). Flora Australiensis. Vol. 3. London: Lovell Reeve & Co. p. 476. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Olearia revoluta". APNI. Retrieved 17 July 2022.
  5. ^ Sharr, Francis Aubi; George, Alex (2019). Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings (3rd ed.). Kardinya, WA: Four Gables Press. p. 294. ISBN 9780958034180.
  6. ^ Johnstone, R.E.; Storr, G.M. (1998). Taylor, Deborah (ed.). Handbook of Western Australian birds. Vol. v.1 — non passerines. Perth: Western Australian Museum. p. 301. ISBN 978-0730712084.