Arctotis

For the snake genus, see Stegonotus (snake).

Arctotis
Arctotis flower head
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Vernonioideae
Tribe: Arctotideae
Subtribe: Arctotidinae
Genus: Arctotis
L.
Type species
Arctotis angustifolia
Synonyms[3]
  • Antrospermum Sch.Bip.
  • Anemonospermos Boerh. ex Boehm.
  • Cleitria Schrad.
  • Stegonotus Cass.
  • Anemonospermos Möhring ex Adans.
  • Venidium Less.
  • Odontoptera Cass.
  • Anemonospermos Möhring ex Kuntze
Namaqualand Gousblom (Arctotis fastuosa) Goegap N.R., Namaqualand, Northern Cape, South Africa
Arctotis stoechadifolia P. J. Bergius, West Coast National Park, Western Cape, South Africa
Arctotis arctoides. Sani Pass, Drakensberg, ZA

Arctotis is a genus of annual and perennial plants in the family Asteraceae.[4][2]

Arctotis is native to dry stony slopes in southern Africa. Some of the plants are alternatively placed in the genus Venidium. The common name is "African daisy", or "Gousblom" in Afrikaans. These plants have daisy-like composite flowers which tend to close in the late afternoon or in dull weather,[5] but numerous cultivars have been developed for garden use which stay open for longer, and are available in a wide range of colours. Tender perennials are often grown in temperate regions as half-hardy annuals.

The garden hybrid A. × hybrida hort. 'Flame' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[6]

Vigorous Arctotis hybrids like 'Pink Sugar'[7] and 'Large Marge' are popular choices for garden design for the diverse colors of their blooms.[8]

  1. ^ lectotype designated by Green, Prop. Brit. Bot. 183 (1929)
  2. ^ a b Tropicos, Arctotis L.
  3. ^ Flann, C (ed) 2009+ Global Compositae Checklist
  4. ^ Linnaeus, Carl von. 1753. Species Plantarum 2: 922-923 in Latin
  5. ^ RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965.
  6. ^ "RHS Plant Selector - Arctotis × hybrida hort. 'Flame'". Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Garden Coach: Cold, wet weather, lack of sun and improper planting can take a toll on African daisies and irises". The Mercury News. 2018-03-06. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
  8. ^ "Photos: Daisies perfect for your desert garden". www.desertsun.com. Retrieved 2021-10-28.