Blue daisy
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Blue daisy ( Brachyscome iberidifolia ) |
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| Brachyscome iberidifolia | ||||||||||||
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The Blue Daisies ( Brachyscome iberidifolia ), also Australian Daisy called, is a species of the genus Blue Daisies ( Brachyscome ) and belongs to the family of the daisy family (Asteraceae). The blue daisy comes from Australia and was further developed into a new ornamental plant in Germany in the late 1980s . This is now one of the most popular bedding and balcony plants worldwide. The perennial species Brachyscome multifida DC is equally frequent . Called blue daisy.
Surname
The German name "Blaues Gänseblümchen" results from its great resemblance to the daisy ( Bellis perennis ). The botanical genus name is also used in the incorrect form Brachycome (after the first description by Cassini ). An application for an official definition of the generic name in this form of writing was rejected in 1993 and Brachyscome was retained as a valid generic name.
description
In its natural habitat and in Central Europe, when used as an ornamental plant , this species is an annual herbaceous plant that reaches heights of 5 to 45 cm. The blue daisy remains relatively compact and has a bushy habit . The leaves are finely pinnate.
The individual flowers are here, as is typical for the subfamily of the Asteroideae , as marginal ray florets and inner tubular florets . The totality of both types of flowers forms inflorescences with a diameter of up to 2.5 cm. The so-called cup is also known as pseudanthium (false flower) due to the great similarity of the inflorescence with a single flower. The inflorescences give off an aromatic scent.
The flowers are typically five-fold. The calyx is completely reduced and there is neither a pappus nor a chaff leaf in the individual flowers . The fused petals of the blue-violet-colored ray-flowers run out in five petal lobes. The tubular flowers are yellow and also five-lobed. The anthers of the five stamens of the Androeceum have grown together to form the anthers tube typical of the daisy family, the filaments are free. Inside the anthers tube is the stylus with the two-part scar . The gynoeceum consists of two intergrown and subordinate carpels . The fruit is an achene .
The number of chromosomes is 2n = 18.
distribution
The wild form of the blue daisy comes from Australia. There it is mainly to be found in the states of Northern Territory , South Australia and Western Australia . It grows on sandy and acidic soils.
Use as an ornamental plant
Wild seeds of Brachyscome iberidifolia were purposefully collected in Australia in the 1980s. At the Geisenheim research institute , whose task at that time was to test various Australian wild plants as potential ornamental plants, their suitability as flowering bedding, balcony and hanging plants was tested. After successful approaches, the plant, now known as the “blue daisy”, was bred commercially. Numerous protected varieties have emerged to this day, which vary in growth and, above all, flower color (whitish, various shades of blue and violet up to pink).
The blue daisy is an uncomplicated ornamental plant that blooms continuously from May / June until the first frosts.
Varieties (selection): 'Fragrant Fancy'
Sources and further information
Individual evidence
- ↑ Brummitt, RK 1993. Report of the Committee for Spermatophyta: 38. Taxon 42: 693. [proposal to conserve Brachycome denied].
- ^ Tropicos. [1]
literature
- RK Brummitt: Report of the Committee for Spermatophyta. 38. Taxon 42: 693, 1993 [proposal to conserve Brachycome denied].
- T. Denda et al .: Molecular phylogeny of Brachycome (Asteraceae). Pl. Syst. Evol. 217: 299-311, 1999