Arctotis fastuosa, called Monarch-of-the-veld, is a species of African plants in the family Asteraceae, native to Namibia and South Africa.[2] It has become naturalized on roadsides and in vacant urban lots in southern California.[3][4]

Monarch-of-the-veld
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Arctotis
Species:
A. fastuosa
Binomial name
Arctotis fastuosa
Synonyms[1]
Synonymy
  • Anemonospermos fastuosa Kuntze
  • Arctotis aurea (DC.) Beauverd
  • Arctotis maximiliani Schltr. ex Dinter
  • Arctotis maximiliani Schltr. ex Beauverd
  • Arctotis spinulosa Jacq.
  • Arctotis wyleyi (Harv.) Beauverd
  • Venidium aureum DC.
  • Venidium fastuosum (Jacq.) Stapf
  • Venidium wyleyi Harv.

Arctotis fastuosa is cultivated as an ornamental plant for its showy flowers. It is an annual herb growing up to about 35 centimeters in height, but known to approach 90 centimeters (36 inches) at times. It is hairy in texture, the hairs long and webby when the plant is young. Leaves occur in basal rosettes and are alternately arranged along the stem. They can be several centimeters long all but the uppermost are divided into several lobes. They are borne on flat petioles with wide bases. The inflorescence is a solitary flower head which can be large and showy, measuring up to 10 centimeters wide. Cultivars are bred for varied flower colors; the ray florets can be orange or white with purple, yellow, or orange bases, and the disc florets at the center can be brown, purple, or black.[3]

References

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  1. ^ The Plant List Arctotis fastuosa Jacq.
  2. ^ Gibbs Russell, G. E., W. G. M. Welman, E. Retief, K. L. Immelman, G. Germishuizen, B. J. Pienaar, M. Van Wyk & A. Nicholas. 1987. List of species of southern African plants. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa 2(1–2): 1–152(pt. 1), 1–270(pt. 2).
  3. ^ a b Flora of North America Vol. 19, 20 and 21 Page 198 Monarch-of-the-veld Arctotis fastuosa Jacquin, Pl. Hort. Schoenbr. 2: 20, plate 166. 1797.
  4. ^ Biota of North America Program 2014 county distribution map
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