Status: Exotic
Synonyms:
None known
Osteospermum spinescens is a shrub, less than a meter tall, that is native to southern Africa. Only one plant is known in the United States, and it has persisted in grassland for over 20 years in Silver City. The leaves are entire, and the inflorescence is about an inch across with a radiate head with a yellow disc and ray flowers. The florets are viscid pubescent. The ray flowers are grayish on the bottom side with brown stripes. Pappus is absent. The leaves are a little over 1cm long, oblanceoate and acute at the apex.
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Osteospermum spinescens, photo the SNM herbarium volunteers, Silver City, October 10, 2022
Osteospermum spinescens, inflorescence, photo the SNM herbarium volunteers, Silver City, October 10, 2022
Osteospermum spinescens, inflorescence and foliage, photo the SNM herbarium volunteers, Silver City, October 10, 2022
Osteospermum spinescens, top and bottom surfaces of ray flowers, photo the SNM herbarium volunteers, Silver City, October 10, 2022
Osteospermum spinescens, inflorescence measured, photo the SNM herbarium volunteers, Silver City, October 10, 2022
Osteospermum spinescens, foliage measured, photo the SNM herbarium volunteers, Silver City, October 10, 2022
Osteospermum spinescens, inflorescence with top half of ray flowers dissected away, photo the SNM herbarium volunteers, Silver City, October 10, 2022
Osteospermum spinescens, ray flower disc flowers with no obvious pappus, photo the SNM herbarium volunteers, Silver City, October 10, 2022
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