Pycnosorus
Encyclopedia
Pycnosorus is a genus of daisies
. They are native to Australia
where they grow in wetter conditions everywhere from sea level to the alps. The genus is found in every state of Australia, except Western Australia. The leaves form rosettes and are usually linear. They range in colour from white through to grass green, and are usually covered in fine hairs. The flowers are hemispherical to spherical and are formed of tiny flowers (florets) without any surrounding ligules.
. The tall flower stalks, with their yellow spikey spherical heads are very popular, particularly in Japan.
Pycnosorus can be propagated by division by cutting a rosette from a clump or by seed. Seeds from temperate varieties will germinate in days if lightly sprinkled on seed raising media and not covered. Plants are generally only poorly self fertile. In the wild they grow in very poor soils that are seasonally inundated. In cultivation they appreciate good potting mix, including Phosphorus
. Most species are widely grown both as ornamentals and for revegetation work.
. One way to distinguish these genera is to note whether the individual flowers are directly attached to the flower base (Pycnosorus) or are attached via little stalks (Craspedia) http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=fm&name=Asteraceae.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
. They are native to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
where they grow in wetter conditions everywhere from sea level to the alps. The genus is found in every state of Australia, except Western Australia. The leaves form rosettes and are usually linear. They range in colour from white through to grass green, and are usually covered in fine hairs. The flowers are hemispherical to spherical and are formed of tiny flowers (florets) without any surrounding ligules.
Species
Species include:- Pycnosorus chrysanthes (Schldl.) Sond. – Golden Billy-buttons
- Pycnosorus eremaeus J.Everett & Doust
- Pycnosorus globosus (F.Muell.) Benth – Drumsticks
- Pycnosorus melleus J.Everett & Doust
- Pycnosorus pleiocephalus (F.Muell.) J.Everett & Doust – Soft Billy-buttons
- Pycnosorus thompsonianus J.Everett & Doust
Cultivation
Pycnosorus globosa is a commonly grown cut flower, and is exported to the world from wild collection from around the Murray riverMurray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
. The tall flower stalks, with their yellow spikey spherical heads are very popular, particularly in Japan.
Pycnosorus can be propagated by division by cutting a rosette from a clump or by seed. Seeds from temperate varieties will germinate in days if lightly sprinkled on seed raising media and not covered. Plants are generally only poorly self fertile. In the wild they grow in very poor soils that are seasonally inundated. In cultivation they appreciate good potting mix, including Phosphorus
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is the chemical element that has the symbol P and atomic number 15. A multivalent nonmetal of the nitrogen group, phosphorus as a mineral is almost always present in its maximally oxidized state, as inorganic phosphate rocks...
. Most species are widely grown both as ornamentals and for revegetation work.
See also
A closely related genus is CraspediaCraspedia
Craspedia is a genus of daisies commonly known as billy buttons or woollyheads. They are native to Australia and New Zealand where they grow in a variety of habitats from sea level to the alps. The genus is found in every state of Australia except the Northern Territory. In New Zealand, Craspedia...
. One way to distinguish these genera is to note whether the individual flowers are directly attached to the flower base (Pycnosorus) or are attached via little stalks (Craspedia) http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=fm&name=Asteraceae.