BELLIS PERENNIS

Family:- COMPOSITAE

Common Name:- Daisy

Synonyms:- None

Meaning:- Bellis (L) Pretty, A name used by the Roman naturalist and philosopher

Pliny.

Perennis (L) Continuing, perennial.

General description:- Low, hairless or somewhat bristly perennial, usually with

the inflorescence rising from the centre of the rosette of leaves on a leafless stalk,

spreading by short creeping stems.

Leaves:-

1) 10-60 x 4-25 mm, in a dense basal rosette; oblanceolate to broadly obovate-

spathulate, subentire or with crenate-serrate margins, appressed-pubescent

at least when young, 1-veined, bright green, narrowed usually rather abruptly

to a petiole usually about as long as the lamina.

Flowers:-

1) Capitula usually 15-30 mm diam.; white with a yellow disc.

2) Ppeduncles 4-15(-25) cm, slender, thickened below the capitulum.

3) Receptacle conical.

4) Involucral bracts 3-5(-7) mm, oblong usually obtuse.

5) Ligules 4-8(-11) mm, often purplish-red beneath.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes 1-1·5 mm, pubescent.

Key features:-

1) Leaves 10-60 x 4-25 mm. subentire to obscurely crenate-serrate.

2) Peduncles 4-15(-25) cm.

3) Achenes pubescent.

Click here for a glossary of terms used.

Habitat:- Moist turf by springs and streams, meadows, orchards, olive groves,

dolines. 0-1500 m.

Distribution:- The common lawn daisy throughout Europe and much of the

Mediterranean region. Fairly widespread and common on Crete.

Flowering time:- Mar to mid-July.

Photos by:- Steve Lenton