margaritas

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• English daisy
• lawn daisy
• Daisy
• common daisy
• perennial daisy

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Bellis perennis proles pumila
• Bellis rotundifolia proles pumila
• Bellis perennis f. disciformis
• Bellis perennis var. integrifolia
• Bellis perennis var. prolifera
• Bellis perennis var. caulescens
• Bellis perennis var. microcephala
• Bellis perennis var. hirsuta
• Aster bellis
• Bellis alpina
• Bellis hortensis
• Bellis armena
• Bellis croatica
• Bellis hybrida
• Bellis pumila
• Bellis perennis f. discoidea
• Bellis validula
• Erigeron perennis
• Bellis perennis var. tubulosa

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta within the class Equisetopsida. Following the subclass Magnoliidae, it is organized under the order Asterales and the family Asteraceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Bellis.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant is widely recognized across the northern regions of Europe. Its natural habitat includes the coastal landscapes of Iceland and the Faroe Islands. In mainland areas, it can be found thriving in Denmark and Finland. The species is also commonly distributed throughout Great Britain. Collectively, these locations define its primary geographical range within Northern Europe.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Bellis perennis is characterized by its broad adaptability to diverse environments, ranging from lowlands to significant altitudes. It can be found across an extensive elevational range, starting from sea level (0 m AMSL) and ascending to a maximum of 2800 m AMSL. This species thrives in a variety of specific habitats, commonly populating forests, meadows, and roadsides, and it shows a particular affinity for both general and wet meadow ecosystems.

Elevational range max:

2800 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

forest, meadows, meadows: wet, roadsides

Genetics

The genetics of Bellis perennis are characterized by a specific chromosomal configuration that supports its reproductive stability and evolutionary fitness. The plant possesses a chromosome number of 18, which serves as the fundamental basis for its karyotypic structure. This genetic makeup is maintained at a diploid ploidy level of 2, indicating that the organism contains two complete sets of chromosomes within its somatic cells. This diploid nature contributes to the predictable inheritance patterns observed within the species, facilitating the expression of various morphological traits essential to its survival in diverse environments.

Chromosome number :

18

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Bellis perennis is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. It functions as a hemicryptophyte, a life form in which the perennating buds are located at the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or soil during unfavorable conditions. This species maintains an evergreen nature, retaining its foliage throughout much of the year to support its continuous physiological processes. Through its hemicryptophytic growth habit, the plant effectively navigates seasonal transitions, ensuring stability and longevity within its ecological niche.

Deciduousness :

evergreen

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Bellis perennis is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. As a self-supporting plant, it does not function as a climber or a liana, and it maintains an independent lifestyle, lacking any parasitic tendencies. It is a strictly terrestrial species, neither aquatic, semiaquatic, nor an epiphyte. In terms of stature, it is a diminutive plant with a height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.05 m to a maximum of 0.2 m, maintaining an average plant height of approximately 0.092 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.2 m

Plant height mean:

0.0916666666666667 m

Plant height min:

0.05 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Bellis perennis is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, indicating a standard carbon fixation process typical of many temperate herbaceous species. As a non-carnivorous plant, it relies on soil-based nutrient uptake rather than the capture of prey, and it does not function as a nitrogen fixer. The plant's foliar morphology exhibits significant variability, with leaf lengths ranging from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 8 cm, while leaf widths fluctuate between 0.5 cm and 2.5 cm, resulting in a mean leaf width of 1.4 cm. The average leaf size is recorded at 3.59 cm², and the plant maintains a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 270.75 cm²/g, reflecting its leaf mass per area and its strategy for optimizing light interception and gas exchange.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

8 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Leaf size mean:

3.59 cm²

Leaf width max:

2.5 cm

Leaf width mean:

1.4 cm

Leaf width min:

0.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

270.75 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Bellis perennis is primarily achieved through sexual means, utilizing bisexual flowers that facilitate both biotic pollination and self-fertilization. The flowering period typically begins in April and extends through June, relying on an insect-based pollination syndrome, specifically attracting bees to ensure successful fertilization. Following pollination, the plant produces dry, indehiscent fruits classified as achenes. These fruits are characterized by a mean length and width of 0.1 cm. Each fruit is prolific, containing a significant number of seeds ranging from 101 to 1000 per fruit. The seeds themselves are remarkably consistent in size, with a mean length of 1.2 mm and a volume of 0.11 mm³. In terms of mass, the seeds are quite lightweight, with a mean mass of approximately 0.0001326 g, ranging from a minimum of 0.00009 g to a maximum of 0.00017 g. Once mature, the seeds are dispersed via an anemochorous syndrome, utilizing wind as the primary mechanism for movement. Notably, asexual reproduction is absent in this species, making sexual reproduction the sole driver of its life cycle.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

Jun

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length mean:

0.1 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Fruit width mean:

0.1 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

bee

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length mean:

1.2 mm

Seed mass max:

0.00017 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000132636333333333 g

Seed mass min:

9e-05 g

Seed volume max:

0.11 mm³

Seeds_per_fruit :

101-1000

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Bellis perennis has 1 reported plant parts identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include flower.

Flower

1. Journal of natural products
2. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
3. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

Chemicals

Bellis perennis has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Apigenin 7-O-beta-D-glucoside, Apigenin 7-O-beta-D-glucuronide, Asterbatanoside D, Bellidioside A, Bellissaponin BS6.

Apigenin 7-O-beta-D-glucoside

1. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Apigenin 7-O-beta-D-glucuronide

1. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Asterbatanoside D

1. Journal of natural products

Bellidioside A

1. Journal of natural products

Bellissaponin BS6

1. Journal of natural products

SAPONIN

1. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

Saponins

1. Ceska a Slovenska farmacie : casopis Ceske farmaceuticke spolecnosti a Slovenske farmaceuticke spolecnosti

Activities

Bellis perennis has 3 reported activities identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antihyperlipidemic, Antioxidant, Diuretic.

Antihyperlipidemic

1. Journal of natural products

Antioxidant

1. Natural product communications

Diuretic

1. Ceska a Slovenska farmacie : casopis Ceske farmaceuticke spolecnosti a Slovenske farmaceuticke spolecnosti

Conditions

Bellis perennis has 5 reported investigations on conditions identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include bone formation, diuretic, expectorant, metabolic syndrome, osteogenesis.

Bone formation

1. Molecular biology reports

Diuretic

1. Ceska a Slovenska farmacie : casopis Ceske farmaceuticke spolecnosti a Slovenske farmaceuticke spolecnosti

Expectorant

1. Ceska a Slovenska farmacie : casopis Ceske farmaceuticke spolecnosti a Slovenske farmaceuticke spolecnosti

Metabolic syndrome

1. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

Osteogenesis

1. Molecular biology reports

Preparations

Bellis perennis has 5 reported preparations identified across 3 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include methanolic extract, flowers of Bellis perennis, hydrodistillation, methanol-eluted fraction, saponin fraction.

Methanolic extract

1. Journal of natural products
2. Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin

Flowers of bellis perennis

1. Yakugaku zasshi : Journal of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

Hydrodistillation

1. Natural product communications

Methanol-eluted fraction

1. Journal of natural products

Saponin fraction

1. Journal of natural products