Leucanthemum maximum
Encyclopedia
Leucanthemum maximum is a species of flowering plants in the aster family
known by the common name max chrysanthemum. It is native to France
and Spain
but it can be found growing wild in other parts of the world as an introduced species
and sometimes a garden escapee. It is a rhizomatous
perennial herb growing 30 to 70 centimeters tall with many large serrated leaves around the base of the stem on winged petioles
. There are smaller lance-shaped leaves alternately arranged along the stem. The inflorescence
is generally a large, solitary flower head
which may exceed 8 centimeters in diameter. It has a fringe of 20 to 30 white ray florets around a center of many densely packed yellow disc florets. The fruit is a small ribbed achene
without a pappus
.
This species is one of the wild chrysanthemums Luther Burbank
crossed to produce the popular garden hybrid known as the Shasta daisy, Leucanthemum x superbum.
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 max chrysanthemum. It is native to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
but it can be found growing wild in other parts of the world 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...
and sometimes a garden escapee. It is a rhizomatous
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...
perennial herb growing 30 to 70 centimeters tall with many large serrated leaves around the base of the stem on 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...
. There are smaller lance-shaped leaves alternately arranged along the stem. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is generally a large, solitary flower head
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
which may exceed 8 centimeters in diameter. It has a fringe of 20 to 30 white ray florets around a center of many densely packed yellow disc florets. The fruit is a small ribbed achene
Achene
An achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
without a pappus
Pappus (flower structure)
The pappus is the modified calyx, the part of an individual disk, ray or ligule floret surrounding the base of the corolla, in flower heads of the plant family Asteraceae. The pappus may be composed of bristles , awns, scales, or may be absent. In some species, the pappus is too small to see...
.
This species is one of the wild chrysanthemums Luther Burbank
Luther Burbank
Luther Burbank was an American botanist, horticulturist and a pioneer in agricultural science.He developed more than 800 strains and varieties of plants over his 54-year career. Burbank's varied creations included fruits, flowers, grains, grasses, and vegetables...
crossed to produce the popular garden hybrid known as the Shasta daisy, Leucanthemum x superbum.