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- Asteraceae Group 4
- Bellis
- Bellis perennis
Bellis perennis — lawn-daisy
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Facts
Lawn-daisy is of European origin, and as the name suggests, it is a common invader of lawns. This is the traditional daisy of daisy chains. Many cultivars have been developed for the horticultural trade.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (human-disturbed or -maintained habitats)
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
- 
                                
                                    - Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
 
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
- Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Ray flower color
- 
                                
                                    - blue to purple
- pink to red
- white
 
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- NA
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 6–40 mm
- Disk flower number
- more than 50
- 
                        Flowers- Bract color
- the bracts are not colored or tinged with pink, red or purple
 - Bract cycle number
- 
                                
                                    - there are three or more cycles of bracts
- there are two main cycles of bracts
- there is one main cycle of bracts
 
 - Bract margins
- there are fine hairs along the bract margins
 - Bract outer side hair type
- the bracts are hairy, with simple hairs on their outer surface
 - Bract outer side hairs
- the bracts are hairy on their outer surfaces
 - Bract shape
- the main bracts are oblong (roughly rectangular but rounded at the ends)
 - Bract spines
- the bracts have no spines
 - Bract texture
- the bracts have a similar texture to a leaf
 - Bract tip color
- the tips are a different color from the center of the bract
 - Bract tip shape
- the tips of the bracts are obtuse (have a blunt point)
 - Bracts
- the bracts in separate cycles are similar or gradually changing from the outer to inner cycles
 - Disk flower color
- yellow
 - Disk flower lobe number
- 5
 - Disk flower number
- more than 50
 - Disk flower reproductive parts
- the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
 - Disk flower shape
- the disk flower is tube-shaped (cylindrical), or gradually widening like a funnel
 - Disk width
- 5–10 mm
 - Flower head number
- each flowering stem has only one to three flower heads on it
 - Flower head outer flowers
- at the outer edge of the flower head, each flower has a single enlarged lobe or strap
 - Flower head platform
- the base has no bristles or papery scales
 - Flower head platform surface
- NA
 - Flower head position
- each of the flower heads is separate on its own peduncle (stalk), not clustered in groups
 - Flower head profile
- 
                                
                                    - the disk is conical across the top
- the disk is flat or nearly flat across the top
 
 - Flower head shape
- the flower head is hemispherical (like the bottom half of a sphere)
 - Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
 - Height of flower head base
- 3–8 mm
 - Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- NA
 - Inflorescence shape
- NA
 - Inflorescence stem
- 
                                
                                    - hairs are present on the stem of the inflorescence
- the stem of the inflorescence is not hairy
 
 - Number of bracts at flower head base
- 13–14
 - Ovary cross-section
- the ovary is compressed (flattened)
 - Ovary hair type
- 
                                
                                    - the ovary has hairs on it, but the hairs have no glands
- the ovary has no hairs on it
 
 - Ovary hairs
- 
                                
                                    - the ovary has hairs on it
- the ovary has no hairs on it
 
 - Ovary lines or ribs
- there are two lines or ribs visible on the ovary
 - Ovary profile
- in profile, the ovary is roughly egg-shaped, but widest above the middle
 - Peduncle hair type
- the hairs on the peduncles are simple (not branched), don’t have glands, and are not woolly
 - Peduncle hairs
- the peduncles are hairy
 - Peduncle length
- 20–150 mm
 - Ray flower color
- 
                                
                                    - blue to purple
- pink to red
- white
 
 - Ray flower reproductive parts
- the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
 - Ray flowers
- 
                                
                                    - 26-50
- more than 50
 
 - Ray length
- 4–11 mm
 - Reproductive system
- some of the flowers on the plant have only carpels or stamens, while others have both carpels and stamens
 - Scale tip
- NA
 - Smaller bracts at base of bracts
- there is no smaller, outer cycle of bracts
 - Style branch number
- the style has two branches
 - Style branches
- NA
 - Width of flower head base
- 9–13 mm
 
- 
                        Fruits or seeds- Number of pappus parts
- 0
 - Ovary length in developed fruit
- 1–2 mm
 - Seed hair tuft bases
- NA
 - Seed hair tuft color
- NA
 - Seed hair tuft details
- NA
 - Seed hair tuft length
- 0 mm
 - Seed hair tuft tips
- NA
 - Seed hairs uniform
- NA
 - Seed tuft scale number
- 0
 - Seed tuft type
- there is no pappus on the ovary
 - Top of disk flower ovary
- NA
 - Tuft or plume on fruit
- NA
 
- 
                        Glands or sap- Ovary glands
- there are glands on the ovary surface
 - Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
 
- 
                        Growth form- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
 - Plant lifespan
- the plant is perennial, it shows evidence of previous year's leaves, stems or stem bases
 - Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
 - Underground organs
- the plant has a rhizome (a horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
 
- 
                        Leaves- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
 - Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 0 mm
 - Hairs on underside of leaf blade
- the underside of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
 - Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
- 
                                
                                    - the upper side of the leaf is fuzzy or hairy
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
 
 - Leaf arrangement
- basal: the leaves are growing only at the base of the plant
 - Leaf blade base
- the leaf has a distinct petiole
 - Leaf blade base shape
- 
                                
                                    - the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- the base of the leaf blade is truncate (ends abruptly in a more or less straight line as though cut off)
 
 - Leaf blade edges
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
 - Leaf blade hairs
- the leaf blade has simple hairs with no glands, and not tangled or wooly
 - Leaf blade length
- 6–40 mm
 - Leaf blade shape
- 
                                
                                    - the leaf blade is oblong (rectangular but with rounded ends)
- the leaf blade is obovate (egg-shaped, but with the widest point above the middle of the leaf blade)
- the leaf blade is spatulate (spoon-shaped; narrow near the base, then suddenly widening to a rounded tip)
 
 - Leaf blade tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is rounded, with no point
 - Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip
 - Leaf blade width
- 4–20 mm
 - Leaf disposition
- the lower leaves are larger, toothier, and/or on longer stalks than the upper leaves
 - Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
 - Leaf stalk
- the leaves have leaf stalks
 - Leaf tip extension
- NA
 - Leaf tufts in axils
- NA
 - Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
 - Leaflet number
- 0
 - Specific leaf type
- the leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets
 
- 
                        Place- Habitat
- terrestrial
 - New England state
- 
                                
                                    - Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
 
 - Specific habitat
- human-disturbed or -maintained habitats
 
- 
                        Stem, shoot, branch- Leaves on stem
- the flowering stem has no leaves above the base
 - Stem internode hair direction
- the hairs are pressed flat against the plant, pointing either towards the plant's tip or towards it's base
 - Stem internode hair type
- 
                                
                                    - the hairs on the stem are plain, without glands or branches, and not tangled
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
 
 - Stem internode hairs
- the stem has hairs between the nodes
 
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- not applicable (S-rank: SNA)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Bellis perennis L. E
Lawn-daisy. CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Lawns.
![Plant form: Bellis perennis. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-239x239/Asteraceae/bellis-perennis-ha-ahaines-b.jpg) 
                        ![Fruits: Bellis perennis. ~ By Zoya Akulova. ~ Copyright © 2025 CC BY-NC 3.0. ~ zakulova[at]yahoo.com ~ CalPhotos - calphotos.berkeley.edu/flora/](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-239x239/Asteraceae/bellis-perennis-fr-zakulova-b.jpg) 
                        ![Fruits: Bellis perennis. ~ By Zoya Akulova. ~ Copyright © 2025 CC BY-NC 3.0. ~ zakulova[at]yahoo.com ~ CalPhotos - calphotos.berkeley.edu/flora/](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-239x239/Asteraceae/bellis-perennis-fr-zakulova-a.jpg) 
                        ![Stems: Bellis perennis. ~ By Dr. Nasip Demirkus. ~ Copyright © 2025 Dr. Nasip Demirkus. ~ nasip[at]hotmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-239x239/Asteraceae/bellis-perennis-st-ndemirkus1.jpg) 
                        ![Flowers: Bellis perennis. ~ By Arthur Haines. ~ Copyright © 2025 Arthur Haines. ~ arthur.d.haines[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-239x239/Asteraceae/bellis-perennis-fl-ahaines-c.jpg) 
                        ![Leaves: Bellis perennis. ~ By Gerry Carr. ~ Copyright © 2025 Gerry Carr. ~ gdcarr[at]comcast.net ~ Oregon Flora Image Project - www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/ofp/ofp_index.htm](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-239x239/Asteraceae/bellis-perennis-le-gcarr1.jpg) 
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