= Ray floret
A <ray floret> is a <flower> whose <corolla> has a conspicuous extended, strap-like limb, typically projecting from the edge of an <Asteraceae> <flower head>. The apparent petal around a daisy-like head is therefore part of a whole <floret>. It is not a single <petal> belonging to one giant central <flower>. Depending on the <species>, <ray florets> may be female or sterile; their appearance alone does not establish fertility.<Asteraceae in the New South Wales Flora Online>[Description: ray-corolla form and reproductive variation]{ref}
Compare an intact head with a dissection: trace one outer ray to its own base, then inspect a central <disc floret>. The contrast is between two floral forms assembled into one <inflorescence>. Counting rays around the edge does not count the full complement of constituent <flowers>, because it misses the central units.
Shape, position and function answer different questions. A long <corolla> limb can contribute to the visual display of the <flower head>, while reproductive organs determine whether that particular <floret> can produce <pollen> or a <fruit>.
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