Botany picture #139: cape weed

Arctotheca calendula (Asteraceae), Australian Capital Territory, 2013. This plant is commonly known here in Australia as cape weed after its introduction from South Africa. As one can see, it is actually quite pretty but it really is an obnoxious weed in disturbed areas and can cover large areas in good years. In contrast to many other daisies it does not have a bristly pappus. Instead, the fruits have a crown of scales and are covered with a large mass of fuzz.