Brachyscome nivalis



Brachyscome nivalis, commonly known as snow daisy, is a perennial herb in the family Asteraceae and is endemic to Australia. It has mostly white daisy-like flowers, yellow centres and deeply lobed leaves.

Description
Brachyscome nivalis is a perennial herb with slender stems rising from the base of the plant to 30 cm high. The leaves are arranged opposite, shiny, bright green, linear to broader at the apex and tapering to the stem, margins more or less entire to pinnatifid, up to 15 cm long usually in a clump forming rosette. The white flowers are borne singly, 30-45 mm in diameter on stems 6-25 cm long, petals up to 12 mm long with a bright yellow centre. The flower bracts are smooth, narrowly lance shaped with jagged edges. The brown, dry, one seeded fruit are wedge-shaped, flattened, 2-3 mm long, covered with uneven hairs about 1 mm long and are joined together in bunches. Flowering occurs from summer to early autumn, cultivated plants may flower in spring.

Taxonomy
Brachyscome nivalis was first formally described in 1855 by Ferdinand von Mueller and the description was published in Definitions of rare or hitherto undescribed Australian plants.

Distribution and habitat
The snow daisy grows in New South Wales at higher altitudes, and extending south from Mount Gingera in the Australian Capital Territory. In Victoria it is found growing in protected, rocky sites in the alps, sometimes in herb fields, grassland and woodlands.