Olearia elliptica, commonly known as the sticky daisy bush,[2] is a shrub in the family Asteraceae and is native to New South Wales and Queensland in eastern Australia. It has scattered, sticky leaves and white flowers in summer and autumn.
Olearia elliptica is a shrub that typically grows to a height of 2 m (6 ft 7 in) and has scattered, curved, elliptic leaves 20–115 mm (0.79–4.53 in) long, 5–38 mm (0.20–1.50 in) wide on a petiole up to 12 mm (0.47 in) long. The upper surface of the leaves is sticky and the lower surface is a paler green. The heads or daisy-like "flowers" are arranged in loose groups on the ends of branches on a peduncle up to 12 mm (0.47 in) long and are 11–26 mm (0.43–1.02 in) wide. Each head has 8 to 23 white ray florets surrounding 8 to 30 yellow disc florets. Flowering occurs between November and May and the fruit are bristly achenes.[2]
Olearia elliptica was first formally described in 1836 by Augustin Pyramus de Candolle who published the description in his 17-volume treatise, Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis.[3][4] The specific epithet (elliptica) is a Latin word meaning "a defective circle" or "an ellipse".[5]
In 1993, Peter Shaw Green described two subspecies of O. elliptica that have been accepted by the Australian Plant Census:[6]
Subspecies elliptica occurs from Berry northwards along central and eastern New South Wales to the Queensland border.[2] It is found in areas of annual rainfall of over 900 mm in the Sydney Basin.[10]
Sticky daisy bush adapts readily to cultivation, preferring acidic soils in part shade or sun.[9]
Olearia elliptica, commonly known as the sticky daisy bush, is a shrub in the family Asteraceae and is native to New South Wales and Queensland in eastern Australia. It has scattered, sticky leaves and white flowers in summer and autumn.
Habit
