Bellis perennis
Encyclopedia
Bellis perennis is a common Europe
an 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
, and also in South America.
with short creeping rhizome
s 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 floret
s (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
.
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.
on lawn
s, though many also value the appearance of the flowers. Several cultivar
s 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
. 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.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an species of Daisy
Asteraceae
The Asteraceae or Compositae , is an exceedingly large and widespread family of vascular plants. The group has more than 22,750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera and 12 subfamilies...
, often considered the archetypal species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
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
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The species is widely naturalised in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, and also in South America.
Growth
It is a herbaceous plantHerbaceous plant
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
with short creeping rhizome
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
s and small rounded or spoon-shaped evergreen leaves 2–5 cm long, which grow close to ground. The flowerheads
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
are 2–3 cm in diameter, with white ray floret
Head (botany)
The capitulum is considered the most derived form of inflorescence. Flower heads found outside Asteraceae show lesser degrees of specialization....
s (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
Dicotyledon
The dicotyledons, also known as dicots, are a group of flowering plants whose seed typically has two embryonic leaves or cotyledons. There are around 199,350 species within this group...
.
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. ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer , known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to have been buried in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey...
called it "eye of the day".
Daisy
Daisy (given name)
Daisy is a feminine given name, commonly thought to be derived from the name of the flower. However the flower name comes from the English word dægeseage, meaning "day's eye." The name Daisy is therefore ultimately derived from this source a synonym for the Sun...
is also a common girl's name and is a nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
for girls named Margaret, after the French name for the oxeye daisy
Oxeye daisy
Leucanthemum vulgare, the oxeye daisy, , is a widespread flowering plant native to Europe and the temperate regions of Asia...
, marguerite.
Uses
It is not affected by mowing and is therefore often considered a weedWeed
A weed in a general sense is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens, but also lawns, parks, woods, and other areas. More specifically, the term is often used to...
on lawn
Lawn
A lawn is an area of aesthetic and recreational land planted with grasses or other durable plants, which usually are maintained at a low and consistent height. Low ornamental meadows in natural landscaping styles are a contemporary option of a lawn...
s, though many also value the appearance of the flowers. Several cultivar
Cultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
s 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
Astringent
An astringent substance is a chemical compound that tends to shrink or constrict body tissues, usually locally after topical medicinal application. The word "astringent" derives from Latin adstringere, meaning "to bind fast"...
properties and has been used in folk medicine
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine comprises unscientific knowledge systems that developed over generations within various societies before the era of modern medicine...
. 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.
External links
- Bellis perennis (USDA plant profile)