Osteospermum

Perennials, subshrubs, or shrubs [annuals], 5–150+ cm. Stems procumbent to erect [prostrate], glabrous or arachnose to piloso-hirtellous and/or stipitate-glandular. Leaves sessile or petiolate; blades orbiculate, elliptic, or oblong to oblanceolate, lanceolate, or linear, margins entire or denticulate [pinnately lobed], faces glabrous or sparsely arachnose and/or stipitate-glandular, often glabrate. Heads borne singly [in corymbiform to umbelliform arrays]. Involucres campanulate to hemispheric or broader, 5–20+ mm diam. Phyllaries 5–21+ in 1–2(–3+) series, lanceolate to lance-linear (apices ± attenuate). Receptacles flat to conic. Ray florets 10–21+ in ± 1 series; corollas whitish to purplish or yellow to orange, laminae ± oblong-elliptic to oblanceolate. Disc florets 12–50+, functionally staminate; corollas yellow or purplish, tubes shorter than the ± campanulate throats. Cypselae triquetrous-prismatic to clavate, often ± tuberculate or ridged and/or winged. x = 10.

Distribution

Africa, widely cultivated, sometimes escaping and/or persisting.

Discussion

Species ca. 75 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Osteospermum ecklonis, Osteospermum spinescens

Key

1	Leaf blades obovate or oblong to oblanceolate, 30–50(–100+) × 0–20(–40+) mm; ray corollas purplish to whitish	Osteospermum ecklonis
1	Leaf blades cuneate to clavate, 3–12(–20+) × 1–4+ mm; ray corollas yellow to orange.	Osteospermum spinescens