''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental plants. The name ''Leucanthemum'' derives from the Greek words ''λευκός – leukos'' ("white") and ''ἄνθεμον – anthemon'' ("flower"). Common names for ''Leucanthemum'' species usually include the name daisy (e.g. ox-eye daisy, Shasta daisy), but " daisy" can also refer to numerous other genera in the Asteraceae family.

Description

''Leucanthemum'' species are perennial plants growing from red-tipped

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...

s. The plant produces one erect stem usually reaching 40 to 130 centimeters tall, but known to exceed 2 meters at times. It is branching or unbranched and hairy to hairless. Some species have mainly basal leaves, and some have leaves along the stem, as well. Some leaves are borne on petioles, and others are sessile, attached to the stem at their bases. They vary in shape, and some are lobed or toothed. The flower head is solitary, paired, or in a group of three on the stem. The base of the head is layered with up to 60 or more rough-edged phyllaries. The ''Leucanthemum'' head has about 13 to 34 ray florets of various widths, occasionally more, and rarely none. The ray florets are always white but fade pink with age. The head has over 100 yellow disc florets at the center. The fruit is a ribbed, hairless cypsela.''Leucanthemum''.
Flora of North America.

Ecology

''Leucanthemum'' species are used as food plants by the larvae of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

species, including the bucculatricid leaf-miners ''

Bucculatrix argentisignella ''Bucculatrix argentisignella'' is a moth species in the family Bucculatricidae. It was first described by Gottlieb August Wilhelm Herrich-Schäffer in 1855 and is found in France and in disjunct populations in Central, Eastern and Northern E ...

'', '' B. leucanthemella'', and '' B. nigricomella'', which feed exclusively on ''

Leucanthemum vulgare ''Leucanthemum vulgare'', commonly known as the ox-eye daisy, oxeye daisy, dog daisy, marguerite (french: Marguerite commune, "common marguerite") and other common names, is a widespread flowering plant native to Europe and the temperate regions ...

''.

Diversity

Species include: *''

Leucanthemum adustum ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental plan ...

'' Gremli *'' Leucanthemum aligulatum'' Vogt *'' Leucanthemum aragonense'' (Asso) Samp. *'' Leucanthemum atratum'' (Jacq.) DC. *'' Leucanthemum burnatii'' Briq. & Cavill. *'' Leucanthemum catalaunicum'' Vogt *'' Leucanthemum coronopifolium'' Vill. *'' Leucanthemum corsicum'' (Less.) DC. *''

Leucanthemum cuneifolium ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental ...

'' H.J.Coste *''

Leucanthemum discoideum ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental ...

'' (All.) Coste *''

Leucanthemum gaudinii ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental ...

'' Dalla Torre *''

Leucanthemum glaucophyllum ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental plan ...

'' (Briq. & Cavill.) Jahand. *''

Leucanthemum gracilicaule ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental plan ...

'' (Dufour) Pau *''

Leucanthemum graminifolium ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family (biology), family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated ...

'' (L.) Lam. *''

Leucanthemum grande ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental ...

'' (L.) P.Giraud *''

Leucanthemum halleri ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental plan ...

'' Ducommun *''

Leucanthemum heterophyllum ''Leucanthemum heterophyllum'' is a species of flowering plant in the aster family Description ''Leucanthemum heterophyllum'' can reach a height of . This plant is perennial, glabrous or hairy. The stem is erect and robust, with a rosette of la ...

'' (Willd.) DC. *''

Leucanthemum illyricum ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental ...

'' Vogt & Greuter *''

Leucanthemum ircutianum ''Leucanthemum ircutianum'' is a herbaceous perennial plant species in the family Asteraceae, that can be found growing in Eurasian (mostly European) countries and North America. Just like the similar '' L. vulgare'', it is commonly known as t ...

'' (Turcz.) Turcz. ex DC. *'' Leucanthemum lacustre'' (Brot.) Samp. *'' Leucanthemum latifolium'' DC. *'' Leucanthemum lithopolitanicum'' (E.Mayer) Polatschek *''

Leucanthemum maximum ''Leucanthemum maximum'' is a species of flowering plant in the aster family known by the common name max chrysanthemum. Range It is native to France and Spain but it can be found growing wild in other parts of the world as an introduced speci ...

'' (Ramond) DC. – max chrysanthemum *'' Leucanthemum maestracense'' Vogt & F.H.Hellw. *''

Leucanthemum meridionale ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental ...

'' Legrand *'' Leucanthemum minimum'' Vill. *''

Leucanthemum monspeliense ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental ...

'' (L.) H.J.Coste *''

Leucanthemum montserratianum ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental ...

'' Vogt *''

Leucanthemum pallens ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental plan ...

'' DC. *''

Leucanthemum paludosum ''Leucanthemum paludosum'' (formerly ''Chrysanthemum paludosum'' and ''Mauranthemum paludosum''), commonly known as creeping daisy or mini marguerite, is a perennial plant of the family Asteraceae. Description A perennial, the plant height is ...

'' (Poir.) Bonnet & Barratte *''

Leucanthemum platylepis ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental plan ...

'' Borbás *''

Leucanthemum rohlenae ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental plan ...

'' Vogt & Greuter *''

Leucanthemum rotundifolium ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental ...

'' DC. *'' Leucanthemum sibiricum'' DC. *''

Leucanthemum subglaucum ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental ...

'' De Laramb. *'' Leucanthemum × superbum'' (Bergmans ex J.W.Ingram) D.H.Kent – Shasta daisy *''

Leucanthemum sylvaticum ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental ...

'' (Brot.) Nyman *'' Leucanthemum tridactylites'' (A.Kern. & Huter) Huter & al. *''

Leucanthemum virgatum ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental ...

'' (Desr.) Clos *''

Leucanthemum visianii ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as introduced species, and some are cultivated as ornamental ...

'' (Gjurašin) Vogt & Greuter *''

'' (Vaill.) Lam. – ox-eye daisy

Hybrid

* ''Leucanthemum'' × ''superbum'' ( = ''L. lacustre'' × ''L. maximum'') – Shasta daisy

Gallery

Leucanthemum graminifolium 1.JPG, ''

'' Leucanthemum August 2012-1.jpg, '' Leucanthemum lacustre'' Shasta Daisy, Leucanthemum x superbum - geograph.org.uk - 1419764.jpg, ''Leucanthemum'' × ''superbum'' Leucanthemum 'Crazy Daisy' 01.jpg, ''

'' 'Crazy Daisy' File:A leucanthemum flower.jpg

References

External links

* *
GRIN Species Records of ''Leucanthemum''
{{Taxonbar, from=Q21040 Asteraceae genera Taxa named by Philip Miller