Arctotis

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 2: 922. 1753.

,

Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 394. 1754.

Common names: African-daisy
Etymology: Greek arktos, brown bear, and ous, otos, ear, perhaps alluding to shape of pappus scales
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 19. Treatment on page 198. Mentioned on page 34, 48, 195.

Annuals or perennials [subshrubs], [5–]10–100 cm (hirsute to arachnose or woolly, sometimes glandular as well). Stems erect [decumbent]. Leaves basal and/or cauline; petiolate or sessile; blades mostly spatulate to oblanceolate, margins entire, sinuate-dentate, or pinnately lobed, abaxial faces tomentose to sparsely arachnose. Involucres hemispheric to campanulate, 10–25 mm diam. Phyllaries in 3–6+ series, distinct, outer linear to oblong, inner ovate to elliptic, margins ± scarious. Receptacles flat, alveolate (pit margins often ciliate), epaleate. Ray florets pistillate, fertile (staminodes often present); corollas white, cream, yellow, orange, pink, purple, violet, or blue (sometimes dark abaxially), laminae 4-veined, 3-toothed. Disc florets usually bisexual and fertile, sometimes functionally staminate; corollas yellow or brown to violet or purple. Cypselae ovoid to obovoid, abaxial faces ± rounded, 3–5-ribbed or -winged (wings sometimes toothed and inflexed into 2 longitudinal grooves), adaxial faces flattened, apices sometimes forming callous borders, faces (smooth or transversely rugose) glabrous or pilose to sericeous; pappi usually present, persistent, usually of 5–8 ovate to oblong scales in 2 series, sometimes coroniform, sometimes none. x = 9.

Distribution

Introduced; s Africa, cultivated and/or introduced elsewhere.

Discussion

Species ca. 60 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Cypselae ± ovoid, 1.3–1.5 mm, glabrous; pappi 0 or coroniform Arctotis fastuosa
1 Cypselae ± obovoid, 2–3 mm, sericeous (hairs from bases) and tomentulose (on faces); pappi of 5–8 hyaline scales 0.5–4 mm Arctotis stoechadifolia
... more about "Arctotis"
Alison McKenzie Mahoney +
Linnaeus +
African-daisy +
s Africa +  and cultivated and/or introduced elsewhere. +
Greek arktos, brown bear, and ous, otos, ear, perhaps alluding to shape of pappus scales +
Sp. Pl. +  and Gen. Pl. ed. +
1753 +  and 1754 +
Compositae +
Arctotis +
Asteraceae tribe Arctotideae +