# lyre-leaf greeneyes (*Berlandiera lyrata*)

The lyre-leaf greeneyes is a cheerful flower with bright yellow petals that look like little suns! It grows in fields and meadows, bringing joy to everyone who sees it.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![lyre-leaf greeneyes](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Berlandiera_lyrata.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Melburnian, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Berlandiera_lyrata.jpg)

## Appearance

The lyre-leaf greeneyes has bright yellow, daisy-like flowers with distinctive prominent green centers, giving it its 'greeneyes' name. Its unique, deeply lobed leaves resemble a lyre instrument. It stands out with its cheerful colors and unusual foliage.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Asterales
- **Family:** Asteraceae
- **Genus:** Berlandiera

## Interesting facts

- Ancient people may have used parts of this plant for traditional remedies!
- Each seed has a tiny parachute, helping it float far away on the wind!
- Its unique green eye in the center of the flower is actually many tiny disc florets!
- This flower smells like chocolate or vanilla, especially in the morning!

## Special abilities

- **Scent Beacon:** Lyre-leaf greeneyes releases a sweet, vanilla-like scent that helps it attract pollinators, even from a distance, ensuring its reproduction.
- **Sun Tracker:** Its flowers can track the sun's movement across the sky (heliotropism), helping them warm up and become more appealing to pollinators.
- **Drought Buster:** This plant has deep roots that help it find water in dry soil, allowing it to survive in harsh, arid environments.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-90 cm
- **Spread:** 30-60 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-4 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring-fall
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Main pollinator for nectar
- **Pollinates:** [Monarch butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Attracted to flowers for nectar
- **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Visits flowers for pollen and nectar

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't pick flowers, so everyone can enjoy them!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify lyre-leaf greeneyes?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is lyre-leaf greeneyes?

30-90 cm

### How wide does lyre-leaf greeneyes spread?

30-60 cm

### How big are the flowers on lyre-leaf greeneyes?

2-4 cm

### When does lyre-leaf greeneyes bloom?

Spring-fall

### Is lyre-leaf greeneyes edible?

No

### Is lyre-leaf greeneyes toxic?

None

### What is lyre-leaf greeneyes's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Rattlesnake Springs Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rattlesnake-springs-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Lyre-leaf Greeneyes: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lyre-leaf-greeneyes)