''Rhodanthemum'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Asteraceae, mostly

native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

to exposed rocky places in Northern Africa (Morocco and Algeria). Formerly included in either ''

Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemums ( ), sometimes called mums or chrysanths, are flowering plants in the Asteraceae family. They are native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia, and the center of diversity is in China. Co ...

'' or ''

Leucanthemum ''Leucanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. Species range naturally from Europe through the Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and Siberia to the Russian Far East. Some species are known on other continents ...

'', the 10 or 15

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of ''Rhodanthemum'' display many similarities to their former congeners, with

composite Composite or compositing may refer to: Materials * Composite material, a material that is made from several different substances ** Metal matrix composite, composed of metal and other parts ** Cermet, a composite of ceramic and metallic material ...

daisy-like flowers. They are mat-forming, prostrate

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

s or sub

shrubs A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...

, and some are cultivated as

ornamental plants Ornamental plants or ''garden plants'' are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars th ...

Taxonomy

It was described by Balafama Helen Wilcox,

Kåre Bremer Kåre Bremer (born 17 January 1948) is a Swedish botanist and academic. He has also been Vice-Chancellor of Stockholm University. Career Professor Bremer received his doctorate in botany from Stockholm University in 1976, where he worked as le ...

, and

Christopher John Humphries Christopher J. Humphries FLS (Derby, 29 April 1947 – 31 July 2009) was a British botanist known for his work on systematic botany and biogeography. In 1980, he was awarded the Bicentenary Medal of the Linnean Society. In 2001 the Linnean Soc ...

in 1993''Rhodanthemum'' B.H.Wilcox, K.Bremer & Humphries. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. Retrieved June 1, 2025, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:975143-1 with ''

Rhodanthemum arundanum ''Rhodanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family (biology), family Asteraceae, mostly native plant, native to exposed rocky places in Northern Africa (Morocco and Algeria). Formerly included in either ''Chrysanthemum'' or ''Leucanthe ...

'' as the type species.

Etymology

The

botanical name A botanical name is a formal scientific name conforming to the ''International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants'' (ICN) and, if it concerns a plant cultigen, the additional cultivar or cultivar group, Group epithets must conform t ...

comes from the Greek ''ῥόδον'' (rose) + ''ἄνθεμον'' (flower).

Species

It has 15 species: *''

'' *'' Rhodanthemum atlanticum'' *'' Rhodanthemum briquetii'' *''

Rhodanthemum catananche ''Rhodanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, mostly native to exposed rocky places in Northern Africa (Morocco and Algeria). Formerly included in either ''Chrysanthemum'' or ''Leucanthemum'', the 10 or 15 species of ' ...

'' *''

Rhodanthemum depressum ''Rhodanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, mostly native to exposed rocky places in Northern Africa (Morocco and Algeria). Formerly included in either ''Chrysanthemum'' or ''Leucanthemum'', the 10 or 15 species of ' ...

'' *''

Rhodanthemum gayanum ''Rhodanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, mostly native to exposed rocky places in Northern Africa (Morocco and Algeria). Formerly included in either ''Chrysanthemum'' or ''Leucanthemum'', the 10 or 15 species of ' ...

'' *''

Rhodanthemum hosmariense ''Rhodanthemum hosmariense'', the Moroccan daisy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. It is a bushy, prostrate subshrub growing to tall and broad, with deeply divided silvery leaves ...

'' *''

Rhodanthemum ifniense ''Rhodanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, mostly native to exposed rocky places in Northern Africa (Morocco and Algeria). Formerly included in either ''Chrysanthemum'' or ''Leucanthemum'', the 10 or 15 species of ' ...

'' *''

Rhodanthemum laouense ''Rhodanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, mostly native to exposed rocky places in Northern Africa (Morocco and Algeria). Formerly included in either ''Chrysanthemum'' or ''Leucanthemum'', the 10 or 15 species of ' ...

'' *''

Rhodanthemum maresii ''Rhodanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, mostly native to exposed rocky places in Northern Africa (Morocco and Algeria). Formerly included in either ''Chrysanthemum'' or ''Leucanthemum'', the 10 or 15 species of ' ...

'' *''

Rhodanthemum maroccanum ''Rhodanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, mostly native to exposed rocky places in Northern Africa (Morocco and Algeria). Formerly included in either ''Chrysanthemum'' or ''Leucanthemum'', the 10 or 15 species of ' ...

'' *''

Rhodanthemum mesatlanticum ''Rhodanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, mostly native to exposed rocky places in Northern Africa (Morocco and Algeria). Formerly included in either ''Chrysanthemum'' or ''Leucanthemum'', the 10 or 15 species of ' ...

'' *''

Rhodanthemum pseudocatananche ''Rhodanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, mostly native to exposed rocky places in Northern Africa (Morocco and Algeria). Formerly included in either ''Chrysanthemum'' or ''Leucanthemum'', the 10 or 15 species of ' ...

'' * ''Rhodanthemum'' × ''pseudoredieri'' *''

Rhodanthemum quezelii ''Rhodanthemum'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, mostly native to exposed rocky places in Northern Africa (Morocco and Algeria). Formerly included in either ''Chrysanthemum'' or ''Leucanthemum'', the 10 or 15 species of ' ...

'' *'' Rhodanthemum redieri''

Distribution

It is native to Algeria, Morocco, and Spain.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7320877 Anthemideae Asteraceae genera Flora of Algeria Flora of Morocco Flora of Spain