Euryops

The genus Euryops of the family Asteraceae comprises flowering shrubs and shrublets, as well as a few perennial and annual herbs. Many of them are known for their attractive yellow daisy flowerheads.

The generic name was derived from the Greek words eurus meaning broad or large and ops meaning eye, referring to the large round flowerhead.

Euryops leaves are alternate, sessile and variably spaced, sometimes in fascicles or rosettes. Leaf margins are entire, serrated or lobed, or the leaves forked, needle-like or pinnate.

The stalked Euryops flowerheads have receptacles without scales and involucral bracts in one or two rows. The involucres are variously shaped, including hemispherical, urn-shaped or bell-shaped. Most species bear yellow ray florets that are female or bisexual.

All Euryops flowerheads have discs comprising tiny bisexual or sometimes male florets with five-lobed corollas. There are five stamens and a simple or divided style per floret. The ellipsoid fruit is glabrous or hairy, ribbed or smooth, mostly with a pappus of bristles.

The genus comprises 97 species, all occurring in Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the island of Socotra. Southern Africa is home to 89 of them.

The plant in picture is Euryops tysonii, dealt with elsewhere in this Album (Manning, 2009; Andrew, 2017; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; iNaturalist).