Phil Bendle Collection:Felicia amelloides (Blue daisy)

Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Felicia
Species: F. amelloides
Binomial name: Felicia amelloides
Synonyms: Aster rotundifolius, Cineraria amelloides, Agathaea amelloides, Agathaea coelestis, Agathaea rotundifolia, Aster capensis var. rotundifolius, Cineraria amoena, Cineraria oppositifolia
Common names: Blue daisy, Kingfisher daisy, Blue felicia bush, Shrubby felicia, Bush felicia, Blue felicia, Blue marguerite, Blue daisy bush, Paris daisy

Felicia amelloides is a perennial, deciduous shrublet native to a coastal strip of both the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces, South Africa where it can be found growing on coastal sand dunes, sandy flats, exposed stony hillsides, gravely slopes, basalt cliffs and among outcropping rocks below 1,000 metres above sea level. In New Zealand, it can be found growing wild in some eastern coastal areas. It is common in some gardens. 

Felicia amelloides is densely branched and it frequently has dark reddish, hairy stems. It usually grows about 30–60 cm tall by 50 cm wide but can grow to 1 m in height.
The ovate, opposite leaves have entire margins and are hairy and rough to touch. They are dark green above and light green below.
The composite flower heads (30 mm in diameter) are typical of the Asteraceae but unlike many daisies, they do not close at night.  Flowering occurs in late spring and throughout summer. Each head has about 12 ray florets that are sky-blue, or rarely mauve. The flower’s centre is a prominent yellow and consisting of numerous yellow, bisexual disc florets. The flowers are borne on naked stalks that are up to 180 mm long. The stalks hold the flowers well above the leaves.
The fruits, called achenes, are a darkish brown and are minute, hairy achenes which are darkish brown and minutely hairy. Each fruit is shed together with its pappus that acts like a parachute.

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Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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