Plant has distinctive daisy shaped "flowers"

A plant with roots

Close up of flowerhead: flowers are small and yellow in the centre

Leaves are variable in shape

Sparsely-hairy stem and underside of leaves

Clusters of leaves are arranged alternately along the stem

Seedling

Scientific Name

Erigeron karvinskianus

Common Names

seaside daisy, bony-tip fleabane, Mexican daisy, daisy fleabane

Origin

America

Family

Asteraceae

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is a sprawling perennial herb to 15 cm in height with numerous stems branching from the base, sometimes it forms dense clumps.

Stems spread horizontally with the ends growing upwards or weakly erect, they are slender, branched, ribbed and sparsely-hairy to smooth. 

Leaves are deep green above and grey/green below. Lower leaves are 3-lobed or 3-5-toothed at apex; upper leaves are linear-lanced or elliptic, entire to toothed or shallowly lobed with a short leafy stalk. Leaves are in clusters arranged alternately along the stem.

A pleasant smell is given when crushed.

Only a few flowerheads can be found on slender, almost hairless flower stalks. Ray florets (petals) grow in several rows and are often pale mauve, turning white and becoming pink with age. Disc florets (tiny yellow flowers in the centre of the "flower") are numerous with yellow petals.

Fruit is an achene which is pale brown, oblong and sparsely hairy. The pappus (the appendage on the seed) consists of fine whitish hairs. The seed is very fine and spreads easily assisted by the wind.

This plant is easy to remove.

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Sources & References

Wagner, W.L., D.R. Herbst and S.H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i. Revised edition. University of Hawai'i Press, Honolulu

"Plantnet FloraOnline"  (2005) http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/

Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture  (2004) www.rnzih.org.nz

 

Prepared by Justin KY Chu, July 2005

Checked by IEWF, June 2006