daisylike

Daisylike is an adjective used to describe the appearance of a daisy or a flower that resembles a daisy in structure and overall impression. In botany and horticulture, it refers to flowers or inflorescences that suggest the characteristic radiate head of a daisy, with an outer ring of petal-like ray florets surrounding a central disk of tubular disc florets.

Most daisylike flowers belong to the family Asteraceae. The typical head, or capitulum, functions as a single inflorescence that is composed of many small flowers. The outer ray florets are usually sterile and give the impression of petals, while the central disc florets are fertile and form a compact center. This arrangement is a key feature in recognizing daisylike forms.

Coloration in daisylike flowers is variable. Commonly seen combinations include white ray florets with a yellow central disk, but ray and disc colors can range to yellow, pink, orange, or bi-colored in different species and cultivars. The prominence of ray florets can also vary, with some plants showing very conspicuous rays and others having reduced or less prominent ray florets.

The term is descriptive rather than a formal taxonomic category and is used in floristry, horticulture, and descriptive botany to convey a general daisy-like appearance. Classic examples often cited as daisylike include the oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) and hybrid Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum × superbum), though the descriptor can apply to other daisylike composite flowers as well.