Calomeria is a small genus of flowering plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae (order Asterales), first formally described by French botanist Étienne Pierre Ventenat in Jardin de la Malmaison in 1804. GBIF's backbone taxonomy places Humea Sm. as a synonym subsumed within Calomeria, along with Agathomeris Delaun. and Oxiphoeria Dum.Cours.; historically the genus was circumscribed much more broadly, and several species once included in it have since been transferred to other genera, including Basedowia, Cassinia, Helichrysum, Humeocline and Thiseltonia.
As currently accepted, Calomeria comprises a handful of species: Calomeria africana, native to Mozambique, and Calomeria amaranthoides, native to New South Wales and Victoria in Australia, along with Calomeria epapposa and Calomeria infausta. The best-known member is Calomeria amaranthoides, commonly called the incense plant for its strong fragrance. It is a tall biennial herb that can grow to 3.5 metres in height, with sticky stems and leaves that are green on the upper surface and whitish beneath, reaching up to 15 cm long and 5 cm wide. In summer (January to April in its native Australian range) it produces large plumes of small brown-to-red flowerheads.
Taxonomically, Calomeria sits within the tribe Gnaphalieae of Asteraceae, a large family of composite-flowered plants. Its closest documented relationship of horticultural note is its historical synonymy with Humea, under which name Calomeria amaranthoides was long cultivated and known in English-speaking gardens as "Humea" or incense plant, prized for the strong incense-like scent released by its foliage and flowering plumes.
Distribution
Calomeria amaranthoides is native to New South Wales and Victoria in Australia, while Calomeria africana occurs in Mozambique.
Taxonomy Notes
Calomeria Vent. was described in 1804 in Jardin de la Malmaison. Its historical synonym Humea Sm. is subsumed within it, and the genus once included many more species now reclassified into Basedowia, Cassinia, Helichrysum, Humeocline and Thiseltonia; GBIF's accepted backbone now recognizes four species (C. africana, C. amaranthoides, C. epapposa, C. infausta).
