''Leucanthemum'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial no ...

of flowering plants in the aster

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideal ...

Asteraceae The family Asteraceae, alternatively Compositae, consists of over 32,000 known species of flowering plants in over 1,900 genera within the order Asterales. Commonly referred to as the aster, daisy, composite, or sunflower family, Compositae ...

. It is mainly distributed in southern and central Europe. Some species are known on other continents as

introduced species An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, foreign species, non-indigenous species, or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived there ...

, and some are cultivated as

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

s. 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 ''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 ...

, Shasta daisy), but " daisy" can also refer to numerous other genera in the Asteraceae family.

Description

''Leucanthemum'' species are

perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

s 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 h ...

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 A pseudanthium (Greek for "false flower"; ) is an inflorescence that resembles a flower. The word is sometimes used for other structures that are neither a true flower nor a true inflorescence. Examples of pseudanthia include flower heads, compos ...

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

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. ...

e 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'', '' 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

'' (Vaill.) Lam. – ox-eye daisy

Hybrid

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

Gallery

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