Ursinia sericea

Ursinia sericea, in Afrikaans commonly known as the silwerblaarmagriet (silver leaf Marguerite), is a tufted shrublet growing to 50 cm in height. The alternate leaves, divided into several thread-like segments become 5 cm long and 5 mm wide.

The solitary, daisy-shaped flowerheads are borne on long, leafless stalks well above the silvery grey leaves. The flowerheads are yellow, both in their ray and fertile, five-lobed disc florets. Flowerhead diameter is about 2,5 cm. The inner bracts of the involucre behind the rays are large, rounded and papery. Flowering happens from spring to early autumn. The photo was taken in March in the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden.

The species distribution is in the south of the Northern Cape, but largely in the Western Cape from the Cederberg to Piketberg, Worcester and the Swartberg Mountains. The habitat is upper sandstone slopes, usually on rocky outcrops in fynbos. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iSpot; www.redlist.sanbi.org).