Coreopsis

Coreopsis /ˌkɒriːˈɒpsᵻs/ is a genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae. Common names include calliopsis and tickseed, a name shared with various other plants.

Description

They range from 46–120 cm (18–47 in) in height. The flat fruits are small and dry and look like bugs. Many of its species are cultivated. The 75 to 80 Coreopsis species are native to North, Central, and South America. The flowers are usually yellow with a toothed tip. They have showy flower heads with involucral bracts in two distinct series of eight each, the outer being commonly connate at the base. The name Coreopsis is derived from the Greek words κόρις (koris), meaning "bedbug," and ὄψις (opsis), meaning "view," referring to the shape of the achene.

Uses

Coreopsis species are used as food plants by the caterpillars of some Lepidoptera species including Coleophora acamtopappi. The sunny, summer blooming, yellow daisy-like flowers are popular in gardens to attract butterflies.

All Coreopsis species were designated the state wildflower of Florida in the United States in 1991.