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Actites

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Actites
Scientific classification
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Genus:
Actites

Species:
A. megalocarpa
Binomial name
Actites megalocarpa
(Hook.f.) Lander
Synonyms
  • Sonchus megalocarpus

Actites is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family. It is endemic to Australia and contains only one species, Actites megalocarpa commonly known as the dune thistle, beach thistle or coastal sow thistle. [1][2]

Description

The dune thistle is a fleshy perennial herb. It has leaves that are stiff, and elliptic to oblanceolate (i.e. the top is wider than the bottom). The leaves are 5-20 cm long and 1.5-6 cm wide, accompanied by yellow dandelion-like flowers.[1] It is commonly found on coastal dunes and can tolerate sea spray, though it will only grow to its full height of 60 cm in more sheltered situations.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b "Dune Thistle". Victorian Resources Online. Department of Primary Industries, Victoria. 2011-05-26. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  2. ^ Kim, Seung-Chul; Lu, Christina T.; Lepschi, Brendan J. (2004). "Phylogenetic positions of Actites megalocarpa and Sonchus hydrophilus (Sonchinae: Asteraceae) based on ITS and chloroplast non-coding DNA sequences". Australian Systematic Botany. 17 (1): 73–81. doi:10.1071/SB03019.
  3. ^ Longmore, Sue; Smithyman, Steve; Crawley, Matt (2010). Coastal Plants of the Bellarine Peninsula. Bellarine Catchment Network.