''Brachyscome'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Most are endemic to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, and a few occur in New Zealand and New Guinea.Genus ''Brachyscome''.
PlantNet. New South Wales Flora Online. The Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney.

Name

The genus name is spelled ''Brachycome'' by some authors. Henri Cassini published the name ''Brachyscome'' in 1816, forming it from the classical Greek ''brachys'' ("short") and ''kome'' ("hair"), a reference to the very short pappus bristles. Because the combining form of ''brachys'' in Greek compound words is ''brachy-'', Cassini later corrected the spelling to ''Brachycome''. Australian taxonomists still debate whether Cassini's corrected spelling is admissible under the rules of

botanical nomenclature Botanical nomenclature is the formal, scientific naming of plants. It is related to, but distinct from Alpha taxonomy, taxonomy. Plant taxonomy is concerned with grouping and classifying plants; botanical nomenclature then provides names for the ...

. A proposal to conserve ''Brachycome'' was rejected in 1993 by the Committee for Spermatophyta.Brummitt, R. K. (1993)
Report of the Committee for Spermatophyta: 38.
''Taxon'' 42(3), 687-97.

Genetics

One of the annual plains species, '' Brachyscome dichromosomatica'', is remarkable for its low chromosome count. In this species ''n''=2, though some plants have 1, 2 or 3 additional large

B chromosomes In addition to the normal karyotype, wild populations of many animal, plant, and fungi species contain B chromosomes (also known as supernumerary, accessory, (conditionally-)dispensable, or lineage-specific chromosomes). By definition, these chr ...

.Carter, C. R. (1978). Taxonomy of the ''Brachycome lineariloba'' complex (Asteraceae). ''Telopea'' 5, 387-93. The genus has an unusually large range of chromosome counts, from ''n''=2 to ''n''=18.

Description

These are annual and perennial

herbs In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

and small

shrub A shrub (often also called a 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 ...

s. Species have a basal rosette of leaves and/or leaves alternately arranged on the stem. The blades are entire or divided. The

flower heads A pseudanthium (Greek for "false flower"; ) is an inflorescence that resembles a flower. The word is sometimes used for other structures that are neither a true flower nor a true inflorescence. Examples of pseudanthia include flower heads, compos ...

are solitary or borne in small corymbs. The head has a row of ray florets in shades of white, blue, pink, or mauve, and yellow disc florets.

Fruit

The genus is distinguished from other genera in tribe

Astereae Astereae is a tribe of plants in the family Asteraceae that includes annuals, biennials, perennials, subshrubs, shrubs, and trees. They are found primarily in temperate regions of the world. Plants within the tribe are present nearly worldwide di ...

mainly by the structure of the fruit. These

achene An achene (; ), also sometimes called akene and occasionally achenium or achenocarp, is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate (formed from one carpel) and indehiscent (they do not ope ...

s or cypselas are roughly club-shaped but usually incurved and flattened. They often have a membranous rim or wing around the edge that is sometimes wavy or fringed. The pappus is less than one millimeter long in most species.Everett, J. "''Brachycome''". In: Harden, G. J. (ed.) ''Flora of New South Wales'' volume 3, pages 155-67. University of New South Wales Press. 1992.

Habitat

''Brachyscome'' species are found in a wide range of habitats. They occupy rainy coastal and mountainous regions as well as dry central Australia.Watanabe, K., et al. (1999)
Chromosomal evolution in the genus ''Brachyscome'' (Asteraceae, Astereae): statistical tests regarding correlation between changes in karyotype and habit using phylogenetic information.
''Journal of Plant Research'' 112(2), 145-61.

Cultivation

Some ''Brachyscome'' species, notably ''Brachyscome iberidifolia'' (Swan river daisy), are popular as easily cultivated ornamental plants for flower gardens, and many cultivars are bred for their form, foliage, and flowers.

Species

There are between 65 and 80 species in the genus.''Brachyscome''.
The Plant List. Species include: *'' Brachyscome aculeata'' – hill daisy *'' Brachyscome ascendens'' *'' Brachyscome basaltica'' – swamp daisy *'' Brachyscome chrysoglossa'' - yellow-tongue daisy *'' Brachyscome ciliaris'' - variable daisy *''

Brachyscome decipiens ''Brachyscome decipiens'', commonly known as field daisy, is a perennial herb in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Australia. It is a small herb with white or pale blue flowers. Description ''Brachyscome decipiens'' is a herb with leaves ...

'' – field daisy *''

Brachyscome dentata ''Brachyscome dentata'', commonly known as lobe-seed daisy, is a tufted perennial herb in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Australia. It has mostly white or mauve daisy-like flowers, a yellow centre and pale green leaves. It is endemic to ...

'' *'' Brachyscome graminea'' - stiff daisy, grassland daisy *'' Brachyscome iberidifolia'' - Swan River daisy *''

Brachyscome multifida ''Brachyscome multifida'' is a perennial herb in the family Asteraceae. Common names include cut-leaved daisy, rocky daisy, and Hawkesbury daisy. The species is endemic to Australia. Description This species has an erect, matting growth habit g ...

'' - cut-leaved daisy, rock daisy, Hawkesbury daisy *'' Brachyscome nivalis'' – snow daisy *'' Brachyscome scapigera'' - tufted daisy *''

Brachyscome segmentosa '' Brachyscome segmentosa'', commonly known as the Lord Howe Island daisy or mountain daisy, is a herb in the family Asteraceae. The specific epithet comes from the Latin ''segmentum'' ("segment") with the suffix ''-osa'' (indicating abundance ...

'' - Lord Howe daisy, mountain daisy

References

External links

''Brachyscome'' species records.
FloraBase. Western Australian Herbarium. {{Taxonbar, from=Q2702913 Asteraceae genera Plants described in 1816 Flora of Australia Taxa named by Henri Cassini