Oxeye daisy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Oxeye daisy

A close-up of the flowers

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Asterales
Family:	Asteraceae
Genus:	Leucanthemum
Species:	L. vulgare

Binomial name

Leucanthemum vulgare
Lam.

The oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare, syn. Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) also known as the marguerite is a widespread flowering plant native to Europe and the temperate regions of Asia. It is one of a number of plants to be called by the common name daisy. It is also sometimes called moon daisy or dog daisy.

It is a perennial prostrate herb with small flower head (not larger than 5 cm) that consists of about 20 white ray flowers and numerous yellow disc flowers, growing on the end of the stem. The stem is mostly unbranched and sprouts laterally from a creeping rootstock.

The leaves are darkgreen on both sides. The basal and middle leaves are petiolate, obovate to spoon-shaped, and serrate to dentate. The upper leaves are shorter, sessile and borne along the stem.

It produces an abundant number of flat seeds without pappus. It spreads also vegetatively by rooting underground stems.

The oxeye daisy is a typical meadow flower, growing in a variety of plant communities such as dry fields, meadows, but also under scrubs, open-canopy forests and waste places. It thrives in a wide range of conditions and prefers heavy and damp soils. It was introduced in parts of North America, Australia and New Zealand, where it is now a common weed displacing native plant species in some areas. It is difficult to control or eradicate, since a new plant can regenerate from rhizome fragments.

See also: Yellow oxeye daisy