Ursinia Calenduliflora
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''Ursinia'' is a
genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
n plants in the chamomile tribe within the
daisy family 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 w ...
. The genus is named in honor of German scholar
Johannes Heinrich Ursinus Johannes Heinrich Ursinus (also known as Johannes Henricus Ursinus, Iohannes Henricus Ursinus, Johann Heinrich Ursin and even John Henry Ursinus) (26 January 1608 in Speyer – 14 May 1667 in Regensburg) was a learned German author, scholar, Lu ...
1608–1667.


Characteristics

This genus consists of annual or perrenial herbs and shrubs.


Leaves

The leaves are usually alternately with toothed margins.


Flowers

The flowers are borne in round flower heads. They are usually medium sized or large, but may also rarely be small. Most species have long floral stems. There are many rows of bracts. These get shorter towards the outside. The florets of the flowerheads are not all of the same sex. There is only one row of ray (outer) florets. The corolla is strap shaped. The blades of the petals may have three small teeth at the end. The disc florets are bisexual, although those at the center may be sterile. The corolla has a slender tube that widens at the base. The achenes (small, dry fruits that contain a single seed) have five to ten ridges and are narrower towards the base. The base may be surrounded by long hairs.


Distribution

This species is currently known from Africa with 65 species in
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
(mostly in coastal regions) and one species from the Ethiopian Empire.


Species

The following species are accepted:The Plant List search for ''Ursinia''
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References

Flora of Africa Anthemideae Asteraceae genera {{Anthemideae-stub