Daisy family
Compositae
Kat-a-nann’ke. Of the 5 known species of this genus, only the Cupid’s Dart is grown in the garden for its showy blue heads.
Description
Leaves mostly basal and narrow. Flowers in long-stalked heads, the rays flat and toothed.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Ger’ber-ra. A genus of perhaps 70 species of South African or Asiatic, mostly stemless, herbs.
Description
From a basal rosette of leaves arise stout stalks bearing a single daisylike flower.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Kreep’is. About 200 species of annual to perennial herbs, with milky juice, many rosette-forming, native in the northern hemisphere. Related to Hieracium , the hawkweeds.
Description
Flowerheads without ray flowers, pink, yellow, or white.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Rood-beck’i-a. Coneflower . North American hardy herbs, comprising about 25 species.
Description
Leaves usually alternate, simple or compound, in some species much cut and lance-shaped, veins prominent, margins deeply toothed toward the tip. Flowers in terminal or axillary heads, generally yellow, in most species the disk flowers being brown or black.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Bay-lay’a. A small genus of 3 or 4 species of herbs, native to dry desert areas, with only one of gardening interest.
Description
Leaves alternate, at base and on lower stem. Flowerheads solitary, their disk and ray flowers yellow. Ray flowers become papery and can be used for dried arrangements.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Sil-ly’bum. Annual or biennial herbs, comprising only 2 species, natives of the Mediterranean region. The species below grown as an ornamental plant for its silvery leaves. Also grown as a vegetable, since its roots, leaves, and flowerheads are edible.
Description
Leaves alternate, with white spots and veins on the upper side, the margins lobed and spiny. Flowerheads purplish, solitary and nodding. Many bracts surround the head, forming a globe-shaped receptacle.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Ma-kee-ran’the-ra. A small genus of herbs found in w. North America and closely related to Aster .
Description
Leaves alternate, bristly. In the only cultivated species (below), flowerheads rather showy.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Lay’i-a. A genus of mostly Californian herbs, comprising about 15 species, 2 grown for their showy flowerheads.
Description
Leaves alternate, generally without marginal teeth. Flowerheads solitary, stalks terminal. Ray flowers handsome, 8-20, yellow or white, and 3-toothed. Disk flowers tubular.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Ga-zay’ni-a. Showy South African herbs comprising about 16 species, a few long cultivated for their pretty flowerheads.
Description
Leaves alternate and basal. Flowerheads solitary, long-stalked, closing at night or in cloudy weather. Rays yellow, golden, or white, often with a dark spot at the base, the head thus with a dark eye. Good ground cover or edging plants.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Dahl’ya, also day’li-ya. A small but very important genus of tuberous-rooted herbs, the source of all the garden dahlias, most from the uplands of Mexico and Guatemala.
Description
Tuberous roots. Leaves opposite, often compound or twice-compound, the leaflets or segments toothed or cut. Flowers very varied due to breeding, ranging from small ball-shaped pompons to large multipetaled blossoms with curled, quill-like petals. Wild types always have both ray and disk flowers.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Fe-liss’i-a. A large genus of chiefly South African subshrubs (rarely annuals).
Description
Leaves alternate or opposite, or sometimes in rosettes. Flowerheads showy, usually blue, and radiating.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Zan-this’ma. Sleepy Daisy . A single species, native in Tex. The flowerheads close at night.
Description
Wandlike stems with narrow, alternate leaves. Flowerheads long-stalked, mostly solitary, with 18-20 ray flowers.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Ve-nid’i-um. South African annual or perennial herbs comprising about 25 species.
Description
Leaves alternate, deeply cut, stalked, grayish green, of cobwebby appearance when young. Flowers in solitary heads, daisylike. Ray flowers yellow or orange, sometimes with purple band at the base. Disk flowers purplish black.
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Daisy family
Compositae
He-li-an’thus. Rather coarse, hardy herbs comprising about 150 species, found mostly in North America. They are very diverse in size and character, since they readily hybridize in their natural surroundings.
Description
Varied rootstocks, some thick, woody, and compact; some thick, woody, and spreading; others tuberous. Leaves alternate, sometimes opposite above, the margins usually coarsely toothed. Flowers in terminal heads, 3-12 in. (7.5-30.0 cm) across.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Kos’mus. Tropical American garden plants. Of the 25 known species, 2 are especially popular and derived from C. bipinnatus .
Description
Leaves opposite, in the species given below, much cut into fine segments. Flowers in heads, the latter solitary and long-stalked, or in loose, open clusters. Ray flowers showy, of many colors, rays often notched, disk flowers yellow or red. Both of the species below make excellent cut flowers.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Ark-toe’tis. A genus of South African, white-woolly herbs, some widely grown.
Description
They have alternate leaves, usually toothed or deeply cut, and handsome, long-stalked, blue, yellow, or orange heads with both ray and disk flowers.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Zin’ee-a. Annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs comprising about 15 species, chiefly found in Mexico, but also in Tex., Colo., and Chile.
Description
Rather stiff erect stems with short bristly hairs. Leaves opposite, ovalish or lance-shaped, usually stem-clasping. Flowers in solitary, flattish or cone-shaped, showy heads, each flower growing in the axil of a scale-like bract, the tip of which is often colored. Ray flowers of every shade except blue, the underside often greenish, arranged in one to many rows. Disk flowers yellow or purplish brown.
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Daisy family
Compositae
Zer-ran’the-mum. Everlasting . A small group of Mediterranean annual herbs, related to Carlina . The species below is one of the oldest and perhaps the best known of the everlastings.
Description
Leaves alternate, entire. Flowerheads solitary, long-stalked, composed entirely of disk flowers surrounded by small, papery or chaffy bracts, colored like the heads.
How to Grow
Where the growing season is long, sow seeds in garden when danger of frost is past. Where summers are short, sow seeds early indoors. Do not thin. After frost danger is past, dig holes in the garden and fill with water. Carefully set a clump of plants in each hole at the same depth as it grew in the pot. Water again to settle soil. Prefers cool weather.
Xeranthemum annuum
Everlasting ; Immortelle . 2-3 ft. (60-90 cm) high. Flowerheads single or double, 1 in. (4 cm) wide, composed of white, purple, or pink disk flowers and papery petal-like bracts. S. Europe. Several varieties available. Excellent dried flower. Hardy annual.
Daisy family
Compositae
Ur-sin’i-a. Annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs comprising about 40 species, natives of South Africa. Showy garden plants, but only the tender annuals are cultivated.
Description
Leaves alternate, usually deeply cut into narrow lobes, the margins toothed. Flowers in solitary heads, daisylike. Ray flowers orange or yellow, sometimes purplish brown at base, the disk flowers dark bluish purple or brown. Sometimes spelled Ursinea .
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Daisy family
Compositae
Ma-tri-cay’ri-a. An Old World genus of about 35 species, closely related to Chrysanthemum , with which it is often confused.
Description
Leaves finely cut, often strong-scented. Flowers in heads, the disk flowers yellow, the rays white or lacking.
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