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Useful Tropical Plants

Dimorphotheca pluvialis

(L.) Moench

Asteraceae

+ Synonyms

Calendula pluvialis L.

Gattenhoffia pluvialis (L.) Druce

Calendula decurrens Thunb.

Calendula hybrida Sweet

Calendula versicolor Salisb.

Dimorphotheca annua Less.

Dimorphotheca hybrida DC.

Dimorphotheca incrassata Moench

Dimorphotheca leptocarpa DC.

Meteorina crassipes Cass.

Meteorina gracilipes Cass.

Meteorina gracilis Less. ex Steud.

Meteorina lyrata Cass.

Common Name: Weather Prophet

Dimorphotheca pluvialis
Flowering plants
Photograph by: Andrew massyn
Public domain
Dimorphotheca pluvialis Dimorphotheca pluvialis Dimorphotheca pluvialis

General Information

Dimorphotheca pluvialis is an annual plant growing about 40cm tall. The flowers of this sun loving daisy only open with the warmth of the sun from about 10 o’clock in morning to 4 o’clock in the afternoon. As the sun moves across the sky their flowers follow, always facing the sun[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].
A very ornamental plant, it is often grown as summer bedding in temperate areas[
289
Title
The National Non-Food Crops Centre Crop Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/crops/pd.cfm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line information source, with information on over 100 species (as of 2006) of plants being investigated as bio-crops.
]. The plant is being investigated in several maritime countries of Europe as a possible source of oil for industrial uses[
289
Title
The National Non-Food Crops Centre Crop Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/crops/pd.cfm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line information source, with information on over 100 species (as of 2006) of plants being investigated as bio-crops.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Range

Southern Africa - South Africa, Namibia.

Habitat

Not known

Properties

Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitAnnual
Height0.40 m
PollinatorsInsects
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Ornamental

Cultivation Details


Prefers a dry, sunny position in a well drained soil rich in organic matter[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Prefers a sandy, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun[
352
Title
KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone.
]. Tolerates drought and hot summers, but dislikes high humidity[
352
Title
KemperCentreForHomeGardeningPlantFinder
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/
Publisher
Missouri Botanical Garden
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Basic cultivation details, plant uses, habitat etc for several thousand species of plants, mainly from the temperate zone.
].
Yields in field trials range from 0.5 - 1.5 t/ha, potential maximum yields are 2 - 2.5 t/ha[
289
Title
The National Non-Food Crops Centre Crop Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/crops/pd.cfm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line information source, with information on over 100 species (as of 2006) of plants being investigated as bio-crops.
].
The seeds of this plant are interesting in that two different forms are produced[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
]. The ones usually sown are flat, papery and fly away easily in the wind. They are formed in the centre of the flower by the disk florets[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
]. The outer ray florets form seeds which looks like little thorns with thick coats[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
]. Under favourable conditions the papery seed of the disk florets germinate in abundance, while the seeds of the ray florets have delayed germination to protect the species against unpredictable conditions in their arid environment[
295
Title
PlantZAfrica.com
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.plantzafrica.com
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The seeds contain 60 - 65% dimorphecolic acid (d9-hydroxy,t10,t12-octadecadienoic acid)(the winged seeds contain a higher proportion of the oil)[
289
Title
The National Non-Food Crops Centre Crop Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/crops/pd.cfm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line information source, with information on over 100 species (as of 2006) of plants being investigated as bio-crops.
]. This is an unusually linked hydroxy fatty acid in that it has two conjugated double bonds. The structure of the fatty acid provides it with unique properties that are totally different from other known hydroxy fatty acids (such as ricinoleic and lesquerolic). Its structure also makes it much more highly reactive than many other fatty acids and therefore potentially suited to a wide range of industrial products, for example in the manufacture of urethane resins, paints, varnishes, lubricants and cosmetics[
289
Title
The National Non-Food Crops Centre Crop Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/crops/pd.cfm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line information source, with information on over 100 species (as of 2006) of plants being investigated as bio-crops.
]. The enhanced reactivity of dimorphecolic acid necessitates great care in extraction and processing to minimise undesirable reactions[
289
Title
The National Non-Food Crops Centre Crop Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www.nnfcc.co.uk/crops/pd.cfm
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
An excellent on-line information source, with information on over 100 species (as of 2006) of plants being investigated as bio-crops.
].

Propagation

Seed - for the earliest crops, sow in pots in early spring in a greenhouse using a freely-draining potting compost[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Seed takes about 3 weeks to germinate at 16°c[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Be careful not to overwater at any time since the young plants are prone to damping off[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as the plants are large enough to handle and plant out in their permanent positions as soon as possible after the last expected frosts.
Seed can also be sown in situ in late spring[
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-11-10. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Dimorphotheca+pluvialis>

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