Gazania linearis
Common name
gazania, treasure flower
Family
Asteraceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledonous composites
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
GAZLIN
Conservation status
Not applicable
Similar taxa
Gazania rigens and G. linearis can be difficult to distinguish and are known to hybridise in the wild. The characters below are a synthesis from a number of websites: Gazania rigens. Stems: decumbent stems that spread along the ground and form large spreading clumps. Leaves: lighter-coloured silvery or hairy on upper surfaces; narrow but variably-shaped, dandelion-like leaves (narrow, spoon-shaped to lobed), silvery green. Leaves are alternately arranged or densely clustered along these stems. Old leaves deciduous. Flower stems: 5-10-(15) cm tall. Flowers: Heads up to 10cm across, ray florets yellow to orange and, near the base of each petal, with a black to dark purple marking and a white spot; orange-brown disks.
Gazania linearis. Mat-forming or clumping, growing from rhizomes, forming small clumps. Leaves: glossy dark green on upper surfaces; white-hairy below; vary from narrowly elliptic and entire to deeply lobed, up to 10 cm long and up to 2 cm wide, leaves are borne in a rosette at ground level (i.e. they are radical). Old leaves persisting. Flower stems 20-30 cm tall. Heads 5-8cm across; ray florets usually yellow with a reddish central stripe; can be orange or bronze or red; dark reddish centre.
Flower colours
Orange, Yellow
Year naturalised
1940
Origin
South Africa
Etymology
gazania: Possibly from the Latin gaza ‘treasure’ or ‘riches’ alluding to the large and gaudy flowers, or alternatively named after the humanist and translator Theodorus Gaza or Theodore Gazis (c.a. 1398 – 1475).
linearis: Linear (leaves)