Species

Coleostephus myconis

Common Name(s)

corn marigold, Mediterranean marigold

Authority

Coleostephus myconis (L.) Rchb.f.

Family

Asteraceae

Brief Description

Annual herb; rosette of spatulate, somewhat succulent leaves with few obscure teeth; erect stems with toothed leaves; petioles and stems flushed pink. Capitulum of free membranous bracts supporting cream ligulate florets and yellow disc florets. Disc conic, lacking scales or hairs. Seeds lack a pappus.

Flora Category

Vascular - Exotic

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs - Composites

Synonyms

Wikipedia records : Chrysanthemum myconis L.; Myconia myconis (L.) Briq.; Chrysanthemum multicaule Desf.; Pyrethrum myconis (L.) Moench

Distribution

Mediterranean Europe but has spread to S America.

Habitat

First NZ record in wild Oct 2016, in gravel waste area in Whanganui

Features

"As a weed of crops in the Mediterranean and in South America, there is a significant risk of accidental introduction [to USA] with crop seed or other agricultural produce. It is also referred to as an ornamental by Edgecombe (1970) and Marzocca et al. (1976) and could therefore be introduced deliberately. Adverse Impact: Chrysanthemum myconis is listed by Holm et al. (1979) as a 'principal' weed in Brazil, while Marzocca et al. (1976) refer to it as an aggressive weed of crop and pasture land. It appears to pose a significant threat to a variety of habitats in the United States." http://wssa.net/wp-content/uploads/Coleostephus-myconis.pdf

Similar Taxa

The cream ray florets and glabrous semi-succulent leaves distinguish it from most other weedy daisies

Flower Colours

Cream,Yellow

Year Naturalised

2016

Origin

Mediterranean Europe

Reason for Introduction

Perhaps ornamental, but known as an agricultural weed in parts of South America

This page last updated on 27 Oct 2019