Quick Facts

Quick facts

• Mediterranean Daisy (Urospermum dalechampii) is an annual or perennial herb with a showy, basal leaf rosette and erect flower stem, with abundant milk sap, growing to about 50 cm.
• Mediterranean Daisy is native in Europe in the western Mediterranean area.
• There are isolated occurrences of Mediterranean Daisy in Hobart in southern Tasmania, where it sometimes competes with native grassland species.

What Does It Look Like?

What is it?

Mediterranean Daisy (Urospermum dalechampii) is an annual or perennial herb. It has a showy leaf rosette at the base of the plant and an upright flower stem, growing to about 50 cm and with abundant milky sap. The rosette leaves are lobed with smooth or broadly toothed leaf margins, and grow to 16–19 cm long. The leaves on the flower stems are smaller, stalkless and partially wrapped around the stem (clasping), often with smooth leaf margins. The stems and leaves are scattered, with spreading to slightly backwards facing hairs (Chianti Botanical Park 2005; Thompson 2007).

The flower heads are solitary or in twos, to 60 mm diameter. The whorl of bracts (modified leaves) surrounding the flower head and rising from its base, measures 12–15 mm long and 8–10 mm diameter. The flower head is about 15 mm long and 5-lobed (Chianti Botanical Park 2005; Thompson 2007). The ligules or 'petals' have tips that are dark in colour and divided into four or five tips. The hue is rather unusual among the Asteraceae, which are usually egg-yellow. This is a beautiful lemon yellow or sulphur yellow and those at the outer edge sometimes have red streaks on the underside (Tasweeds 2003; Chianti Botanical Park 2005).

The fruit is black, contains 1 seed and is about 15 mm long. The seed is curved, with the basal portion flattened and about 4 mm long. The apex is plumper, wrinkled and tapering into a long, shortly hairy beak, about 10 mm long and topped off with a pappus (a tuft of feathery cream bristles) which is also about 10 mm long (Chianti Botanical Park 2005; Thompson 2007).

For further information and assistance with identification of Mediterranean Daisy, contact the herbarium in your state or territory.

Flower colour

Yellow

Growth form (weed type/habit)

Herb

Where it currently grows? Preferred habitat

Mediterranean Daisy prefers fields, uncultivated areas, meadows, the grassy edges of clearings and roadsides, hills and mountains, from sea level up to about 1200 metres altitude (Chianti Botanical Park 2005).

Are there similar species?

Mediterranean Daisy is a plant which is easily recognized due to the distinctive yellow shade of its flowers and the large flower bud (Chianti Botanical Park 2005).

Mediterranean Daisy looks similar to False Hawkbit (U. picroides), which is also of Mediterranean origin, but which occurs in western Western Australia, southern South Australia, with isolated occurrences in New South Wales and western Victoria. In Mediterranean Daisy, the bracts (modified leaves below flower head) surrounding the flower head have silky hairs pressed close to the stem, whereas the bracts of False Hawkbit have spreading bristly hairs (Thompson 2007). Mediterranean Daisy may be distinguished from Tragopogon by having ligules (outgrowths of the inner junction between leaf-sheath and leaf-blade) longer than the bracts, whereas Tragopogon ligules are shorter than the bracts. Mediterranean Daisy can be distinguished from Hypochaeris by having only one series of bracts surrounding the flower head, whereas Hypochaeris have two or more (Thompson 2007).

Why Is It A Weed?

What are its impacts?

Native ecosystems: Mediterranean Daisy competes with native grassland species. It is naturalised in four southern Tasmanian municipalities and appears to be spreading rapidly, especially on drier sites that have been disturbed.

Urban areas: It may also be present in gardens but is not commonly traded (Tasmania Department of Primary Industry and Water 2006).

How does it spread?

The seeds of Mediterranean Daisy with their feathery bristles are well adapted to wind dispersal like other dandelion-like plants (Chianti Botanical Park 2005). The plant spreads vegetatively when lateral roots produce new shoots. The seeds are also spread as a contaminant of soil and other materials when these are transported elsewhere (Tasweeds 2003).

What is its history in Australia?

 There is a herbarium record from Hobart in 1912 which was found outside the Botanic Gardens (National Herbarium of Victoria 2008). It was first recorded as  naturalised n Hobart’s Queen’s Domain in 1920 and is now one of the most abundant weeds in that urban park. (Tasmanian DPI nd)

How To Manage It?

Best practice management

There are no specific guidelines for the control of Mediterranean Daisy available. Please see the Tasmania Department of Primary Industry and Water factsheet https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/Documents/Urospermum-dalechampii-assessment.pdf and the authorities in your local municipality for the best methods for control of Mediterranean Daisy.

Does it have a biological control agent?

NO

When does it grow? (lifecycle/growth calendar)

Mediterranean Daisy is an annual or perennial herb that flowers from September to October, but earlier and longer flowering has been recorded. Seed production generally begins during November. Mediterranean Daisy produces a stout rootstock from which it resprouts in autumn after summer dormancy (Tasweeds 2003).

Where Is It Found?

Which states and territories is it found?

TAS

What areas within states and territories is it found?

There are isolated occurrences of Mediterranean Daisy in Hobart in southern Tasmania, in the municipalities of Glenorchy and Kingborough, and local infestations in the municipalities of Clarence and Hobart (Tasmania Department of Primary Industry and Water 2006). It has also been found in other areas of Hobart and Hobart’s Eastern Shore including the Rosny Foreshore Coastal Reserve, the Rosny Hill State Recreation Area and the Waverley Flora Park. It is also recorded since 2001 from Granton and the Lauderdale/Seven Mile Beach area. A single specimen has been collected from North Bruny Island (Tasmanian DPI nd).

Where does it originate?

The origins of Mediterranean Daisy are in Europe. It is found in the western Mediterranean area and towards the east as far as Dalmatia. It is widespread in Italy, especially in the central and southern areas and islands (Chianti Botanical Park 2005).

National And State Weed Listings

Is it a Weed of National Significance (WONS)?

NO

Where is it a declared weed?

TAS, WA

Government weed strategies and lists – Weeds Australia

Is it on the National Alert List for Environmental Weeds?

NO

Government weed strategies and lists – Weeds Australia

Is it on the Agricultural Sleeper List?

NO

Government weed strategies and lists – Weeds Australia

Names And Taxonomy

Main scientific name

Urospermum dalechampii

Other scientific names (synonyms)?

Tragopogon dalechampii L.

Does it have other known common name(s)?

Sheep's Beard, Golden Fleece