Bellis perennis (Common Daisy)

Native to Madeira, Europe, the Mediterranean region, and Central Asia, this herbaceous perennial forms low mats and usually grows about 3 to 6 inches tall. Each flower head contains yellow disc florets surrounded by white rays, often tinged pink. The heads close at night and reopen in daylight. Garden cultivars include pink, red, and double-flowered forms. It is naturalized in Colombia, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of North and South America, and can spread as a lawn weed. Although young leaves and flowers have culinary uses, ingestion can cause illness, and contact can irritate skin. Photographed in Peru.