Gazania rigens

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 208

1. G. rigens (L.) Gaertner, Fruct. Sem. PI. 2: 451 (1791).

Perennial; stems up to 50 cm, decumbent, woody at the base. Leaves 30- 80 x 6-15 cm, oblanceolate to oblong, entire, narrowed very gradually to a petiole about as long as the lamina, green and sparsely floccose-tomentose above, densely whitetomentose beneath; rarely a few leaves pinnatifid with 2-4 oblong lobes. Peduncles 8-25 cm, erect, usually with 1-2 linear bracts. Capitula 5-8 cm in diameter. Ligules bright orange, with a basal black patch with a white spot in the centre. Inner florets orange. Achenes c. 4 mm, densely sericeous; pappus c. 6 mm. Cultivated for ornament in S. Europe and naturalized on roadsides in S. Portugal [Lu.] (South Africa.)

The description applies to var. rigens , which is known only in cultivation and as an escape. Other varieties, found wild in South Africa, have smaller capitula and yellow ligules without a black and white patch.