Swamp Billy-buttons
Craspedia paludicola
Robust herb with 1-3 upright flower stems, purplish, with long fine hairs, to 75 cm high, holding bright yellow hemispherical flower balls 17-30 mm across. Flaccid soft leaves at base and on stem to 30 cm long, 8-20 mm wide. Leaf base is usually deep red and stem-clasping, old leaf bases remain on stem.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Flora Type | Herbs |
| Former Scientific Name | Craspedia variabilis |
| Other Common Names | Swamp Buttons |
| Distinctive Features | Long leaves (>15 cm) often tinged with purple, with reddish leaf bases. Likes swampy wet habitat. Roots are thickly hairy. |
| Biology | Perennial. Locally common on heavy clay soils in swampy areas and grassy wetlands, seasonally flooded areas and drainage lines. Tolerates inundation, often partially submerged. |
| Native Status | Native |
| Flowering Time | Sep-Feb |
| Taxonomy | |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Tracheophyta (Vascular Plants) |
| Class | Magnoliopsida (Flowering Plants) |
| Order | Asterales |
| Family | Asteraceae |
| Genus | Craspedia |
| Species | paludicola |
From the Latin paludi = swamp, cola = dwelling, referring to its preferred swampy habitat.
| Interesting Facts | |
|---|---|
| Similar Species | This species has several forms. Pycnosorus is distinguished from the similar Craspedia species by looking at the tiny yellow flowers that make up the flowerhead. In Craspedia they are on a little stalk and in Pycnosorus there is no stem. |
| Native Status | Native |