Perennial herb to 30 cm tall, hairy. Stems short, branched, mostly underground. Leaves basal, variable, to 20 cm long, to 2 cm wide, margins entire to divided, whitehairy below, petiolate. Capitula solitary, to 8 cm across, on stalks to 30 cm long; mostly summer. Ray florets bright yellow with a black base. Disk florets yellow. Achenes about 4 mm long. Pappus scales hidden by hairs of achene. [G. longiscapa DC.]

S Africa

 

G. nivea Less. from S Africa is a dwarf perennial with a short underground stem, small crowded basal leaves that are divided, solitary capitula on stalks shorter than the leaves and usually white ligules.

Source: Lawson, L.; Spencer, R. (2002). Dahlia. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 4. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 3. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.