Common name: Gerbera Daisy, Transvaal Daisy, African Daisy, Barberton Daisy

Botanical name: Gerbera jamesonii - [ (GER-ber-uh) named after Dr. Traugott Gerber, German naturalist; (jay-mess-OWN-ee-eye) named after Robert Jameson, 19th century amateur botanist who discovered the species ] Family: Asteraceae or alternatively Compositeae (aster, daisy, or sunflower family) - [ (ass-ter-AY-see-ay) the aster (daisy) family; formerly Compositae ]

Origin: South Africa

The Gerbera jamesonii was discovered by Anton Rehmann in 1875 - 1880, but named in honour of Robert Jameson, who travelled the Lowveld about 1885. At Moodies Estate, near Barberton, he collected the plant. The epithet was proposed by Harry Bolus, the curator of the botanical garden in Cape Town, but first published by Adlam 1888 and should be ascribed to him.

First illustrations of the Barberton Daisy (which is its popular name) were published in the Gardener's Chronicle in England in 1889. It is described as follows: "The roots are fascicled, whipcord-like, 1 - 2,5 mm wide, the central part often reported as taproot-like. The crown is felted or villose. Several long-stalked spreading leaves, 15 to 42 cm long, in some cases up to 68 cm long and 4 to 14 cm wide. The upper surface is dark green, the lower one waxy green, the leaves have very distinct ragged edges. The flowers grow on long single stems. and can reach a diameter of up to 75 mm in some cases even more. The colours vary from white to dark red with all variations inbetween. The most prominent colour is orange-red. The pappus is creamy white to dirty white."

Courtesy: - Flowers of India - Dave's Garden - The Gerbera Association