Daisy  (Bellis perennis)

Daisies in flower

Facts

Kingdom Plantae
Phylum Anthophyta
Class Magnoliopsida
Order Asterales
Family Asteraceae
Genus Bellis (1)
Size Leaf length: 2-4 cm (2)
Flower head diameter: 16-25 mm (2)
Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life, at Nature NavigatorNatural History museum logo

Status

Widespread and common (3)

Description

The humble yet cheerfully attractive daisy is familiar to most as a 'weed' of lawns and a feature of many children's games (4). The small, hairy, spoon-shaped leaves, which are green throughout the year, are arranged in flat, neat rosettes (5). The upturned flower heads look like single flowers, but actually consist of a number of small, tightly packed individual flowers or 'florets'; this arrangement is a type of inflorescence known as a 'capitulum' (6). The flower heads have bright golden-yellow central discs, composed of 'disk florets', which are surrounded by petal-like white 'ray-florets' that often have deep pink or reddish flushes on the underside (2). This species was described as the 'day’s eye', by Chaucer and 'the emperice and flour of floures alle' (5).

Range

Ubiquitous throughout Britain (3). It also occurs throughout Europe and west Asia (2).

You can view distribution information for this species at the National Biodiversity Network GatewayDisplay NBN Map Button

Habitat

Found in all types of mown, trampled or grazed calcareous and neutral grassland, but thrives best in areas that become fairly wet for some of the year. This species is known chiefly as a weed of lawns, pastureland and roadside verges, but it also occurs on riverbanks, dune-slacks, and lake margins (3).

Biology

The daisy is a perennial species, which flowers for much of the year (5). The flowers open at dawn and are visited by many small insects (2), they are used by children to make daisy chains (4).

Threats

This species is not threatened.

Conservation

Conservation action is not needed.

Further Information

For more information on British plants and their conservation see Plantlife- the wild plant conservation charity:
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/
Visit the website of the Botanical Society of the British Isles at:
http://www.bsbi.org.uk

Authentication

This information is awaiting authentication by a species expert, and will be updated as soon as possible. If you are able to help please contact:
arkive@wildscreen.org.uk

Glossary

Calcareous: containing free calcium carbonate, chalky.
Capitulum: a compound flower head, consisting of many tightly packed flowers. (a type of inflorescence, the reproductive shoot of the plant, which bears flowers).
Dune-slacks: depressions between sand dunes that are often wet during the winter.
Inflorescence: the reproductive shoot of the plant, which bears flowers (see http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/ksheets/pdfs/flower.pdf for a fact sheet on flower structure)
Perennial: plants that live for at least three seasons; after an initial period they produce flowers once a year.

References

  1. National Biodiversity Network Species Dictionary (Feb 2003):
    http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nbn
  2. Clapham, A.R., Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. (1987) Flora of the British Isles. 3rd Edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
  3. Preston, C.D., Pearman, D.A. & Dines, T.D. (2002) The New Atlas of the British and Irish Flora. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
  4. Mabey, R. (1996) Flora Britannica. Sinclair-Stevenson, London.
  5. Press, B. & Gibbons, B (1993) Photographic field guide to wild flowers of Britain and Europe. New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd, London.