About Gazania rigida (Burm.fil.) Roessler
Gazania rigida flowers range in color from yellow to reddish-orange, and often have brown-to-black patches at the base of each petal. The flowers are borne on long, bristly (setose) flower stalks (scapes). The involucre (the protective bract structure surrounding the flower head) is typically bristly (setose), obtusely bell-shaped (campanulate), and measures 8 to 10 millimeters wide. Along with a small number of irregularly arranged, hair-fringed (ciliate) parietal bracts, the involucre also has two or three rows of terminal bracts at its apex. The outermost row of terminal bracts is linear with sharp tips and ciliate margins, matching the appearance of the parietal bracts. The innermost row of terminal bracts is triangular with obtuse-acute tips and membranous margins; this differs from Gazania serrata, which has acuminate innermost terminal bracts. The leaves of Gazania rigida are linear-lanceolate, usually pinnate with linear-to-elliptic lobes, but may occasionally be simple. The upper surface of the leaf is typically spinescent or rough, but can sometimes be smooth. As with many Gazania species, the underside of the leaf is covered in dense, matted hairs (tomentose), and the lower leaf margins are spinescent to ciliate. This differs from Gazania serrata, which has sticky leaves with more distinctly serrated margins.
