Golden marguerite |
Flower
heads and leaves of the golden marguerite.
Below the
cultivar 'Sauce
Hollandaise'
Anthemis tinctoria L., Syn. Cota tinctoria (L.) J. Gay ex Guss.: | |
Blooming period: | June–September |
Height: | 20–80 cm |
Flowers: | in heads, Ø of the heads
20–40
mm, stamens:
5, styles: 1 |
Ray florets:: | yellow |
Disc florets: | yellow |
Calyx: | missing |
Stem leaves: | alternate, 2-fold pinnatisect |
Basal leaves: | at the flowering season missing |
Plant perennial with spindle-shaped, branched taproot. From the most recent parts of the root new plants can arise.
Stem erect or ascending, curly-haired, later glabrous, often branched above the middle.
Stem leaves almost sessile, gray-green, oblong, hairy beneath. Leaves 2-fold pinnatisect, pinnatipartite or pinnate, with comb-like arranged, toothed, mucronate pinnules.
The flower heads are on long, leafless stalks. The receptacle first is flat and during fruiting time shaped hemispherical.
The phyllaries with membranous margins are arranged in 3 rows. They are rounded at the apex and ciliated at the margins.
The female marginal ray florets are numerous, arranged in a single row, with 6–12 mm long ligules, yellow and at the apex clearly three-toothed, rarely they are missing.
The disc florets are numerous, up to 4 mm long, hermaphrodite, yellow and possess at the base a lance-shaped, mucronate palea which is as long as the 5-toothed tubular corolla.
Flowers fragrant. Pollination by flies, bees, bumblebees, butterflies and beetles. From the inferior ovary are formed up to 2 mm long, angular, flattened, brown and glabrous nut fruits (achenes) with 5 ribs on both sides. Pappus absent.
Plants often run wild from gardens or are part of wildflower mixtures!
Anthemis tinctoria can hybridize with A. arvensis, A. cotula and A. ruthenica.
Floral formula: |
↓ K0 C(5) G(2) inferior
and * K0 [C(5) A5(connate)] G(2) inferior |
Occurrence:
Meadows,
roadsides, ruderal areas, fallow land. Prefers sunny, warm and
dry
locations.
Distribution:
Originally
only in the Mediterranean area and in South Asia. By using as a dyer
and garden plant introduced in all continents.