Bellis perennis

Bellis perennis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Asterids
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Bellis
Species:	B. perennis
Binomial name
Bellis perennis L.
Synonyms
Aster bellis E.H.L.Krause Bellis alpina Hegetschw. Bellis armena Boiss. Bellis croatica Gand. Bellis hortensis Mill. Bellis hybrida Ten. Bellis integrifolia DC. Bellis margaritifolia Huter Bellis minor Garsault [Invalid] Bellis perennis var. caulescens Rochebr. Bellis perennis f. discoidea D.C.McClint. Bellis perennis var. fagetorum Lac. Bellis perennis var. hybrida (Ten.) Fiori Bellis perennis subsp. hybrida (Ten.) Nyman Bellis perennis var. margaritifolia (Huter) Fiori Bellis perennis var. microcephala Boiss. Bellis perennis f. plena Sacc. Bellis perennis f. pumila (Arv.-Touv. & Dupuy) Rouy Bellis perennis var. pusilla N.Terracc. Bellis perennis f. rhodoglossa Sacc. Bellis perennis var. strobliana Bég. Bellis perennis var. subcaulescens Martrin-Donos Bellis perennis var. tubulosa F.J.Schultz Bellis perennis f. tubulosa A.Kern. Bellis pumila Arv.-Touv. & Dupuy Bellis pusilla (N.Terracc.) Pignatti Bellis scaposa Gilib. [Invalid] Bellis validula Gand. Erigeron perennis (L.) Sessé & Moc.[1]

Bellis perennis is a common European species of Daisy, often considered the archetypal species of that name. Many related plants also share the name "Daisy", so to distinguish this species from other daisies it is sometimes qualified as Common Daisy, Lawn Daisy or occasionally English daisy. It is native to western, central and northern Europe. The species is widely naturalised in North America,^[2] and also in South America.^[2]

Growth

It is a herbaceous plant with short creeping rhizomes and small rounded or spoon-shaped evergreen leaves 2–5 cm long, which grow close to ground. The flowerheads are 2–3 cm in diameter, with white ray florets (often tipped red) and yellow disc florets. Although many people think that the flower had a yellow centre with white petals this is not the case. Each individual "petal" is itself an individual flower. In the centre there are many tiny yellow flowers also. The different colours and styles of flower work together in order to attract insects. This type of flower is known as a composite flower. They are produced on leafless stems 2–10 cm (rarely 15 cm) tall. The lawn daisy is a dicot.

Etymology

It is thought that the name "daisy" is a corruption of "day's eye", because the whole head closes at night and opens in the morning. Chaucer called it "eye of the day".

Daisy is also a common girl's name and is a nickname for girls named Margaret, after the French name for the oxeye daisy, marguerite.

Uses

Daisies or Bellis perennis in Coudersport, PA

It is not affected by mowing and is therefore often considered a weed on lawns, though many also value the appearance of the flowers. Several cultivars and hybrids have been selected with much larger flower heads up to 5–6 cm diameter and with light pink to purple-red ray florets.

Bellis perennis has astringent properties and has been used in folk medicine.^[3] In ancient Rome, the surgeons who accompanied Roman legions into battle would order their slaves to pick sacks full of daisies in order to extract their juice. Bandages were soaked in this juice and would then be used to bind sword and spear cuts.

Daisies have traditionally been used for making daisy chains in children's games.^[4]

See also

• Asteraceae

References

1. ^ http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/record/gcc-29324
2. ^ ^{a b} "Bellis perennis Linnaeus". Flora of North America. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200023530. 
3. ^ Howard, Michael. Traditional Folk Remedies (Century, 1987), p129
4. ^ "Children's 'right to play'". BBC News. BBC. 2002-08-07. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/2176467.stm. Retrieved 2008-11-02. 

External links

• Bellis perennis (USDA plant profile)