''Ursinia'' is a genus of African 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 (mostly in coastal regions) and one species from the Ethiopian Empire.

Species

The following species are accepted:The Plant List search for ''Ursinia''
/ref>

References

Flora of Africa Anthemideae Asteraceae genera {{Anthemideae-stub