25. Gazania Gaertner, Fruct. Sem. Pl. 2: 451, plate 173, fig. 2. 1791.
Treasure-flower [Greek gaza, riches or royal treasure, alluding to splendor of flowers; or for Theodorus of Gaza (1398–1478), who translated the works of Theophrastus]
Alison McKenzie Mahoney
Perennials [annuals, shrubs], [5–]10–35 cm (often cespitose, not prickly, sometimes with milky sap). Stems usually erect (often ± congested; rootstocks often woody). Leaves usually mostly basal, sometimes cauline as well; petiolate or sessile; blades linear to lanceolate, spatulate or oblanceolate, margins entire or pinnately lobed, abaxial faces white-woolly, adaxial usually glabrate or glabrous, sometimes arachnose. Involucres ± campanulate, turbinate, or cylindric, [5–]10–15+ mm diam. Phyllaries in 2–4 series, connate 1/2–3/4 their lengths, margins ± scarious, apices acute, abaxial faces glabrous [arachnose to tomentose]. Receptacles conic or convex, deeply alveolate (pits enclosing cypselae, their margins often ciliate). Ray florets neuter; corollas yellow, orange, or red to maroon (usually each with darker abaxial stripe and a darker adaxial spot or blotch near base), laminae 5-veined, 4-toothed. Disc florets bisexual, fertile; corollas yellow to orange. Cypselae obovoid, ribs 0, faces villous; pappi persistent, of 7–8[–12+], lanceolate to subulate-aristate scales in 2 series (± hidden by hairs on cypselae). x = 9.
Species ca. 20 (1 in the flora): introduced; South Africa, Namibia, tropical East Africa; cultivated and/or introduced elsewhere.
