Dai"sy (-z?), n.; pl.
Daisies (-zĭz). [OE. dayesye, AS.
dæges-eÁge day's eye, daisy. See Day, and
Eye.] (Bot.) (a) A genus of low
herbs (Bellis), belonging to the family Compositæ. The
common English and classical daisy is B. perennis,
which has a yellow disk and white or pinkish rays.
(b) The whiteweed (Chrysanthemum
Leucanthemum), the plant commonly called daisy in North
America; -- called also oxeye daisy. See
Whiteweed.
☞ The word daisy is also used for composite plants of
other genera, as Erigeron, or fleabane.
Michaelmas daisy (Bot.), any plant of
the genus Aster, of which there are many species. --
Oxeye daisy (Bot.), the whiteweed. See
Daisy (b).