Calocephalus lacteus
{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Speciesbox
|image = Calocephalus lacteus 01.jpg
|genus = Calocephalus
|species = lacteus
|authority = Less.{{cite web |title=Calocephalus lacteus |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/apc-format/display/98808 |publisher=Australian Plant Census |access-date=18 February 2021}}
}}
Calocephalus lacteus, commonly known as milky beauty-heads, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is an ascending, spreading perennial with silver-grey leaves and cream globular-shaped flower heads. It occurs in eastern Australia.
Description
Calocephalus lacteus is a perennial, ascending, spreading herb by means of rhizomes, {{cvt|5-70|cm}} high and forms a dense groundcover. The grey-green leaves are arranged opposite lower on the stem, alternate toward the apex, obovate to lance shaped, or almost linear, {{cvt|1-5|cm}} long, {{cvt|1-4.5|mm}} wide, short matted hairs, two lateral veins and midrib veins usually prominent. The globular flower is a dense cluster of 20-200 capitula in each compound head {{cvt|0.6-1.5|cm}} long, each containing 2-3 yellow florets enclosed by 9-16 white bracts that are flat to conduplicate and {{cvt|1.5-3.3|mm}} long. The fruit is a cypsela with 6-11 bristles and fine hairs in the upper part. Flowering occurs mostly from November to March.{{cite web |title=Calocephalus lacteus |url=https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/5c3d9a67-1942-43c8-92c1-295f21b7f507 |website=VICFLORA-Flora of Victoria |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria |access-date=22 February 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Nerenberg |first1=Shana |title=Calocephalus lacteus |url=https://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2014/Calocephalus%20lacteus.html |website=Growing Native Plants |publisher=Australian National Botanic Garden |access-date=22 February 2021}}
Taxonomy and naming
Calocephalus lacteus was first formally described in 1832 by Christian Friedrich Lessing and the description was published in Synopsis Generum Compositarum.{{cite web |title=Calocephalus lacteus |url=https://biodiversity.org.au/nsl/services/rest/instance/apni/525026 |publisher=Australian Plant Name Index |access-date=24 February 2021}}{{cite book |last1=Lessing |first1=Christian Friedrich |title=Synopsis Generum Compositarum |date=1832 |page=271 |url=https://bibdigital.rjb.csic.es/viewer/13218/?offset=#page=283&viewer=picture&o=bookmark&n=0&q=}} The specific epithet (lacteus) means "milky", referring to the white bracts.{{cite book |last1=Sharr |first1=Francis Aubi |last2=George |first2=Alex |title=Western Australian Plant Names and Their Meanings |date=2019 |publisher=Four Gables Press |location=Kardinya, WA |isbn=9780958034180 |page=271 |edition=3rd}}
Distribution and habitat
References
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{{Taxonbar|from=Q15555384}}
Category:Asterales of Australia
Category:Flora of New South Wales
Category:Flora of Victoria (state)
Category:Flora of South Australia
{{Gnaphalieae-stub}}
{{Australia-asterid-stub}}