Assessment of gerbera

Gerbera is one of the important cut flower crops and commercially important in floriculture trade in India and other countries on account of wide range of flower colours shapes and sizes. The genus Gerbera was founded by the pre-Linnean botanist Gronovius and was named in honor of German naturalist Traugott Gerber who travelled in Russia in 1743. In the family Asteraceae (composite) this group at present comprises 45 species native to tropical Asia and Africa. About 7 species were recorded in India distributed in the temperate Himalayas from Kashmir to Nepal at altitudes of 1300 to 3200 meters. Gerbera species of Indian origin are Gerbera anandria Gerbera kunzeana and Gerbera languinosa Gerbera macrophylla Gerbera nivea Gerbera ovalifolia and Gerbera piloselloides. The cultivated species is stemless perennial herb. The leaves are petioled entire or pinnatilobed coarse or sometimes leathery. The scapes are single flowered. The flowers are very attractive many flowered and the rays are in one or two rows. The inner rows when present are very short and sometimes tubular and two- lipped; disc florets are also sometimes two - lipped.