gerbera daisy

Question

Are gerbera daisies related to dandelions?

Answer 1

Yes, gerberas and other daisies are related to dandelions. They belong to a plant family known as Asteraceae, also called the Composite Family. As you've noticed, the flowers have a similar shape, and each "flower" actually consists of many small flowers growing together (known as a composite flower). Here is more about it:

http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/leeci_unet/composite.html
http://web.stanford.edu/group/dahlia_genetics/compositae_info.htm