Gazania linearis
Encyclopedia
Gazania linearis is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family
known by the common name treasureflower. It is native to southern Africa, particularly South Africa
, but it can be found in other parts of the world with similar climates where it has taken hold as an introduced species
, such as in California
in the United States. This is a mat-forming or clumping perennial herb growing from rhizome
s. Its leaves have long, winged petioles
and form basal rosettes at the ground around the branching stem. The leaves have oval-shaped, dull green leaflets with woolly undersides. The plant produces large, solitary daisylike flowers in shades of bright yellow and orange. Each flower head
may be up to 8 centimeters across and has a dark reddish center of disc florets and an outer fringe of about 20 long ray florets. The ray florets may have dark spots near the bases, curl upwards along their edges, and close at night. The fruit is a tiny achene
covered in very long hairs several times the length of the fruit body.
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
known by the common name treasureflower. It is native to southern Africa, particularly South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, but it can be found in other parts of the world with similar climates where it has taken hold as an introduced species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
, such as in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in the United States. This is a mat-forming or clumping perennial herb growing from rhizome
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
s. Its leaves have long, winged petioles
Petiole (botany)
In botany, the petiole is the stalk attaching the leaf blade to the stem. The petiole usually has the same internal structure as the stem. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole are called stipules. Leaves lacking a petiole are called sessile, or clasping when they partly surround the...
and form basal rosettes at the ground around the branching stem. The leaves have oval-shaped, dull green leaflets with woolly undersides. The plant produces large, solitary daisylike flowers in shades of bright yellow and orange. Each flower head
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
may be up to 8 centimeters across and has a dark reddish center of disc florets and an outer fringe of about 20 long ray florets. The ray florets may have dark spots near the bases, curl upwards along their edges, and close at night. The fruit is a tiny achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
covered in very long hairs several times the length of the fruit body.