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biodiversity explorer

the web of life in southern Africa

Tribe: Anthemideae

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Asterids > Euasterid II > Family: Asteraceae

Twenty-eight genera and 298 species are native to southern Africa, with six genera and 10 species naturalised, and nine genera and 37 species cultivated.

Genera native to southern Africa

(based on Herman et al. 2000)

Adenanthellum

Single species Adenanthellum osmitoides endemic to southern Africa (Mpumalanga, Swaziland and northern KwaZulu-Natal).

Adenoglossa

Adenoglossa decurrens is the only species and is found in the Richtersveld, Northern Cape.

Artemisia

A total of 388 species globally, found mainly in the northern hemisphere. In southern Africa, one species is native, one species is naturalised and five species are cultivated.

Athanasia

The 39 species are all endemic to southern Africa.

Cotula

All 45 species are native to southern Africa, also occurring elsewhere in Africa, Australia and South America.

Cotula turbinata

Cymbopappus

The three species are endemic to southern Africa.

Eriocephalus

There are about 32 species, all endemic to southern Africa.

Eriocephalus africanus (Wild Rosemary, Cape Snowbush)

Eumorphia

There are six species, all endemic to southern Africa.

Foveolina

The four species are endemic to southern Africa.

Gymnopentzia

The only species, Gymnopentzia bifurcata, is endemic to southern Africa.

Hilliardia

The only species, Hilliardia zuurbergensis, is endemic to southern Africa.

Hippia

The eight species are endemic to southern Africa.

Hymenolepis

The seven species are endemic to the Western and Eastern Cape.

Inezia

The two species are endemic to southern Africa.

Inulanthera

The 10 species are native to southern Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe and Madagascar, with seven in southern Africa.

Lasiospermum

The four species are all native to southern Africa but one of these has also been recorded from Egypt.

Leucoptera

The three species are endemic to southern Africa.

Lidbeckia

The two species are endemic to southern Africa.

Marasmodes

The 13 species are endemic to the Western Cape.

Myxopappus

The two species are endemic to southern Africa.

Oncosiphon

The eight species are endemic to southern Africa.

Osmitopsis

The nine species are endemic to southern Africa.

Pentzia

The 23 species are native to Africa with 22 of them found in southern Africa.  

Phymaspermum

The 19 species are endemic to southern Africa.

Rennera

The four species are endemic to southern Africa.

Schistostephium

There are 12 species, native to south-tropical Africa, with 11 found in southern Africa.  

Thaminophyllum

The three species endemic to the Western Cape.

Ursinia

Forty species, native to southern Africa and Ethiopia.

Genera naturalised in southern Africa

(based on Herman et al. 2000)

Achillea

About 115 species have been recorded globally. The only species in southern Africa is Achillea millefolium which is an introduced weed. See Flora of Zimbabwe.

Anthemis

About 211 species globally, with two species naturalised in southern Africa and six species cultivated.

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum coronarium and C. segetum are native to Europe, Asia and North Africa and have been introduced and become naturalised in southern Africa. An additional two species are cultivated in the region.  

Leucanthemum

There are about 33 species, native to Europe and North Africa. Leucanthemum vulgare is a naturalised weed in southern Africa, while four additional species are cultivated in the region.

Santolina chamaecyparissus

Native from Spain to Croatia. It is a rare escape in Zimbabwe - see Flora of Zimbabwe.

 

Soliva

The 8 species are native to South America (most of them), North America and Australia. Soliva sessilis is an introduced weed in southern Africa.

Tanacetum

About 152 species, native to Europe, Asia and North Africa. Tanacetum cinerariifolium (main commercial source of natural pyrethrum) is widely cultivated in southern Africa and has become naturalised. Six other species are cultivated in the region.

Other genera, cultivated in southern Africa

List from Glen (2002). The species name is provided in genera that have only one species represented in southern Africa.  

Anacyclus pyrethrum (Pellitory)

Native to Mediterranean.

 

Argyranthemum

Four species are cultivated in southern Africa. 

 

Chamaemelum fuscatum

Native from Portugal to Italy.

 

Coleostephus

Two species are cultivated in southern Africa.

 

Heteranthemis viscidehirta

[= Chrysanthemum viscidehirtum]

Native to western Mediterranean.

 

Otanthus maritimus (Cottonweed)

Native from western Europe to Syria.

 

Rhodanthemum hosmariense

[= Chrysanthemum viscidehirtum]

Native to North Africa.

 

Tripleurospermum maritimum (Scentless mayweed)

Native from Spain to Turkestan.

 

Xanthophthalmum

Two species native to southern Africa.

 

 Publications

  • Herman, P.P.J., Retief, E., Koekemoer, M. & Welman, W.G. 2000. Asteraceae (Compositae). In: Seed Plants of Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 101-170. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.

  • Nordenstam, B. 1987. Notes on South African Anthemideae (Compositae). Opera Botanica 92: 147– 151.