Gazania rigens (L.) Gaertn.

Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. & Hind, D. J. N. (Eds). (2019). Flora of Iraq, Volume 6: Compositae.Kew Publishing

Morphology General Habit

Creeping perennial herb with a decumbent, simple or branched, glabrescent to  ± tomentose, slender stem

Morphology Leaves

Leaves congested and subrosulate below peduncules to scattered along stem, entire and oblanceolate to linear or pinnatisect with 1–2 pairs of linear to broadly oblanceolate leaflets, very variable in size, margins ± revolute, densely white-tomentose to glabrous above; pedicels with or without bract-like leaves

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre

Involucre campanulate, 14–25 × 5–10 mm at top of fused portion, glabrous or ± tomentose, phyllary tips lanceolate- acuminate

Ray

Rays (1.5–)2–3 mm, yellow or usually orange, with a white-centre and black spot at base or rarely absent (not in cultivated plants).

Ecology

Cultivated at Horticultural Research Stations and in gardens.

Distribution

A native of southern Africa widely cultivated.

Compositae, G. V. Pope. Flora Zambesiaca 6:1. 1992

Morphology General Habit

A shortly trailing perennial herb from a woody taproot.

Morphology Stem

Stems 1-several, usually decumbent, often ± stoloniferous up to c. 40 cm. long and 4–6 mm. in diam., or suberect to c. 30 cm. tall, simple or branched, ± uniformly leafy, glabrous or ± araneose.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves leathery, mostly 3–11(15) x 0.4–2.3 cm., lanceolate or obovate-lanceolate, tapering-attenuate petiole-like below and stem-clasping at the base, mostly simple sometimes pinnatisect with 1–2 lobes on each side, apices acute or subobtuse, margins somewhat revolute, entire; upper surface glabrous or thinly araneose; lower surface whitish felted-tomentose except for the midrib.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula usually solitary and mostly axillary on upper stem and branches; capitula stalks 4–15 cm. long, naked or sometimes bracteate, glabrous or araneose.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre

Involucres 10–15 x 8–15 mm., narrowly campanulate, connate in the lower two-thirds.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Phyllaries

Phyllaries several-seriate and longest towards the inside, free parts 5–10 mm. long, the outer usually strap-shaped and often felted-tomentose outside, the inner triangular and ± attenuate at the apex, glabrous.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle

Receptacle alveolae walls c. 0.5 mm. high, membranous.

Ray

Rays yellow, ascending-erect, 14–25 mm. long, linear-oblanceolate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets

Disk-florets numerous; corollas yellow, 5–6 mm. long; achenes 3–5 mm. long, narrowly subfusiform-turbinate, obscurely 10–12-ribbed, densely long-sericeous with the hairs hiding the pappus; pappus 2-seriate of subequal accrescent scale-like setae 2–5 mm. long, the setae developing a somewhat thickened stalk-like base and narrowly hyaline lateral wings which taper into a fine apex, the outer series briefly connate at the base, the inner free. Rays yellow, ascending-erect, 14–25 mm. long, linear-oblanceolate.

Disc

Disk-florets numerous; corollas yellow, 5–6 mm. long; achenes 3–5 mm. long, narrowly subfusiform-turbinate, obscurely 10–12-ribbed, densely long-sericeous with the hairs hiding the pappus; pappus 2-seriate of subequal accrescent scale-like setae 2–5 mm. long, the setae developing a somewhat thickened stalk-like base and narrowly hyaline lateral wings which taper into a fine apex, the outer series briefly connate at the base, the inner free.

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Andean. Colombian departments: Bogotá DC.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, shrubland, artificial - terrestrial.