''Bedfordia'' is a genus of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s belonging to the family

Asteraceae Asteraceae () is a large family (biology), family of flowering plants that consists of over 32,000 known species in over 1,900 genera within the Order (biology), order Asterales. The number of species in Asteraceae is rivaled only by the Orchi ...

. The genus includes 3 species, all

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only 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 foun ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Description

''Bedfordia'' are

shrubs A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...

or small

trees In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, e.g., including only woody plants with secondary growth, only p ...

. ;Stems and leaves: The young branches and lower surface of leaves and the whorl that surrounds the flower heads are densely covered with short matted and

stellate Stellate, meaning star-shaped, may be used to describe: Biology * Stellate cell (disambiguation) * Stellate ganglion * Stellate reticulum * Stellate veins * Stellate trichomes (hairs) Other * Stellate wounds from lacerations or incisions * S ...

hairs. :Leaves grow first on one side and then on the other in two ranks along the branches; not paired. Leaf edges are entire or with irregular rounded scallops, and have leaf stalks. ;Flowers: Heads in dense axillary branched cluster which is shorter than the leaves. Flower heads have a flat circular shape; and are surrounded by a hairy bract which is at base. Tubular, bisexual florets, scarcely longer than the bract. ;Fruits and reproduction: Cylindrical, grooved and not hairy

achene An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple fruit, simple dry fruits, dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and Dehi ...

s. Pappus bristles are finely toothed and twice as long as achenes. ''B. salicina'' intergrades with ''B. arborescens'' (a tree) and ''B. linearis'' (a shrub).

Taxonomy

The genus was first formally described by Swiss botanist

Augustin Pyramus de Candolle Augustin Pyramus (or Pyrame) de Candolle (, , ; 4 February 17789 September 1841) was a Swiss people, Swiss botany, botanist. René Louiche Desfontaines launched de Candolle's botanical career by recommending him at a herbarium. Within a couple ...

in the second volume of ''Archives de Botanique'' in 1833. The genus name honours

John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford (6 July 1766 – 20 October 1839), known as Lord John Russell until 1802, was a British Whig politician who notably served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the Ministry of All the Talents. He was the father ...

. ;Species *'' Bedfordia arborescens'' (tree blanket leaf) - eastern

**''Senecio bedfordii'' F.Muell *'' Bedfordia linearis'' (slender blanket leaf) -

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

**''Cacalia linearis'' Labill. **''Culcitium lineare'' (Labill.) Spreng. **''Senecio billardierei'' F.Muell. *'' Bedfordia salicina'' DC. (blanket leaf) -

**''Cacalia salicina'' Labill. **''Culcitium salicinum'' (Labill.) Spreng.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4879236 Senecioneae Endemic flora of Australia Asteraceae genera Taxa named by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle