Argyranthemum frutescens (L.) Sch. Bip.

Anthemis frutescens Voss, Chrysanthemum floridum Salisb., Chrysanthemum foliosum Brouss. ex DC., Chrysanthemum frutescens L., Chrysanthemum fruticosum Buch, Matricaria frutescens (L.), Pyrethrum frutescens (L.) Gaertn., Pyrethrum frutescens (L.) Willd.

Asteraceae

Boston Daisy, Cobbity Daisy, Dill Daisy, Federation Daisy, Marguerite, Marguerite Daisy, Paris Daisy, Paris Marguerite, Summer Daisy, Teneriffe Daisy, White Marguerite

The species is native to Canary Islands in Macaronesia. It has naturalized in Australia, New Zealand, East Europe, Ukraine and is adventive in Norway, Germany, and Italy.

Marguerite Daisy thrives in areas with a Mediterranean to subtemperate climate. It grows easily in moderately fertile, medium-textured and well-drained soils. It is wind and salt tolerant.

The flowers are edible (Rop et al. 2012).

A short-lived, perennial herb or subshrub 10–80 (−150 cm) high with a prostrate to erect, branched, glabrous stem. Leaves are alternate, 2–3 pinnately divided, lobes wedge-shaped to linear, ultimate margins serrated rarely entire (Plate 1). Inflorescence a lax irregular cyme often reduced to a solitary capitulum. Involucre hemispherical cup-shaped, phyllaries in 3–4 series, free, persistent in fruit, oblanceolate or ovate to lanceolate-deltate or lanceolate, margins and tips yellow to brown, scarious, tips of inner often expanded; receptacle convex to conic. Ray flowers 12 to >25, ray ovate to linear, female, white, sometimes pink or yellow. Disk flowers 50–80 to >150, bisexual, fertile, corolla white, yellow (pink, red or purple), tubular, 5-deltoid lobed, anther with ovate tips, styler tip truncate, papillate (Plates 1, 2 and 3). Fruit subterete or obovoid achene, faintly 5–8 ribbed without pappus.