Gazania
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Gazania is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, native to Southern Africa. It is often planted as drought-tolerant ground cover.
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[edit] Species
Species include:[1]
- Gazania caespitosa Bolus
- Gazania ciliaris DC.
- Gazania heterochaeta DC.
- Gazania jurineifolia DC.
- Gazania krebsiana Less. (= Gazania pavonia) - Terracotta Gazania
- Gazania lichtensteinii Less..
- Gazania leiopoda (DC.) Roessler
- Gazania linearis (Thunb.) Druce - Treasureflower
- Gazania maritima Levyns
- Gazania othonnites (Thunb.) Less.
- Gazania pectinata (Thunb.) Hartw.
- Gazania rigens (L.) Gaertn. (= Gazania × splendens)
- Gazania rigida (Burm.f.) Roessler
- Gazania schenckii O.Hoffm.
- Gazania serrata DC.
- Gazania tenuifolia Less.
- Gazania thermalis Dinter
 Gazania krebsiana Goegap N.R., Namaqualand, Northern Cape, South Africa |
 Gazania lichtensteinii Goegap N.R., Namaqualand, Northern Cape, South Africa |
 Gazania rigens (flower) |
[edit] Taxonomic history
The genus was first formally described by German botanist Joseph Gaertner in the second volume of his major work De Fructibus et Seminibus Plantarum in 1791.[2]
[edit] Distribution
The genus occurs in South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Tanzania and Angola.[2] Additionally, species are naturalised in Australia, New Zealand, and California. They are widely cultivated as ornamental garden plants.[3] [2]
[edit] Cultivation
Gazanias are grown for the brilliant colour of their flower which appear in the late spring and early summer. They prefer a sunny position and are tolerant of dryness and poor soils.[4]
A commonly grown variety is the Trailing Gazania (Gazania rigens var. leucolaena). They are commonly used as groundcovers and can be planted en masse to cover large areas or embankments, assisted by their fast growth rate. Cultivars of this variety include 'Sunburst', 'Sunglow' and 'Sunrise Yellow' [4]
Another popular cultivated variety is the Clumping Gazania (Gazania rigens) which has a number of named cultivars including 'Aztec', 'Burgundy', 'Copper King', 'Fiesta Red', 'Goldrush' and 'Moonglow'. [4]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ African plants database. Retrieved on 2008-04-11.
- ^ a b c Aluka - Entry for Gazania Gaertn. [family COMPOSITAE]. Retrieved on 2008-04-11.
- ^ Genus Gazania. PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. Retrieved on 2008-04-11.
- ^ a b c Arthurs, Kathryn L. (ed.) (1979). Lawns & Groundcovers. Lane Publishing Co.. ISBN 03760305072.
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