Paineastia

Paineastia is a fictional genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, used in speculative biology and educational exercises to illustrate plant diversification and nomenclature. The genus is monotypic, containing only the species Paineastia andina.

Taxonomy and naming: Paineastia honors the fictional botanist Paine; the epithet andina indicates its Andean distribution. The genus is placed in the tribe Heliantheae within Asteraceae; this placement follows common practice in the exercise to show standard taxonomic ranks.

Description and ecology: Paineastia andina is described as a perennial herb reaching up to 60 cm tall, with opposite, lanceolate leaves; inflorescences are heads composed of numerous yellow disc florets surrounded by a few bright yellow ray florets. Flowering occurs in the austral spring; pollination is presumed to be by native bees, with wind dispersal of light achenes.

Distribution and status: In the fictional scenario, Paineastia andina is endemic to montane cloud forests in the Andean range at elevations of 1500–2300 meters. As a teaching example, it has no formal conservation assessment; the creation of the genus demonstrates standard nomenclatural rules and the concept of monotypic genera.