Syncarpha argyropsis flowerheads

The flowering of Syncarpha argyropsis may be a luxurious affair. This sighting happened in October in the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden. The normal flowering season is from late winter through spring.

The florets are discoid and yellow, surrounded by pointed, white, papery bracts; the yellow by now turned brown in the flowerhead centres. Maroon markings may be seen on the bracts. There is an uncommon pinkish form that is grown at Kirstenbosch.

The derivation of the specific name argyropsis is from the Greek prefix argyr- meaning silver- and suffix -opsis meaning appearance, here signifying resemblance.

S. argyropsis is in Afrikaans sometimes called the beesoogsewejaartjie (cattle eye everlasting), the descriptive aptness of this appellation open for debate. The plant used to be known as Helipterum argyropsis (Manning, 2007; Mustart, et al, 1997; Andrew, 2012).