Arctotheca calendula

Arctotheca calendula, commonly Capeweed, has different appearances, some with dark centres like the ones in picture, while others have yellow centres. This probably depends on flowering stage, like whether the disc florets are open.

The herb is mostly annual, occasionally perennial; some plants are tufted, others sprawling. In some conditions a vigorous creeping plant that invades large open patches. In Australia Capeweed presents problems.

A. calendula is found in all four the coastal provinces of South Africa, the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape, while possibly, marginally reaching KwaZulu-Natal.

The habitat is coastal and adjacent parts, more prevalent in the winter rainfall region. The plants grow in the open in lowlands of various soil types, often in disturbed places. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Manning, 2007; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; http://redlist.sanbi.org).