Tagetes foetidissima

Tagetes foetidissima
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Tagetes
Species: T. foetidissima
Binomial name
Tagetes foetidissima
DC.

Tagetes foetidissima is a Mesoamerican species of marigolds in the sunflower family. It is widespread across much of Mexico and Central America from Tamaulipas to Costa Rica.[1] Common name is "flor de muerto," Spanish for "death flower."[2][3][4]

Tagetes foetidissima is a branching annual herb sometimes as much as 100 cm (40 inches) tall. Leaves are up to 9 cm (3.6 inches) long, divided into 11-29 toothed leaflets. One plant produces many small flower heads in a flat-topped array, each head contains 5 small, pale yellow ray florets surrounding about 7 greenish-yellow disc florets. The head is cylindrical, with purple bracts along the outside.[2]

The plant grows in disturbed areas and has been reported as a weed in cultivated maize fields. It is aromatic but with an odor that most humans find disagreeable.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Turner, B. L. 1996. The Comps of Mexico: A systematic account of the family Asteraceae, vol. 6. Tageteae and Athemideae. Phytologia Memoirs 10: i–ii, 1–22, 43–93
  2. 1 2 Williams, L. O. 1976. Tribe VI, Helenieae. En: D. L. Nash & L. O. Williams (Eds), Flora of Guatemala - Part XII. Fieldiana, Bot. 24(12): 383
  3. ↑ Strother, J. L. 1999. Compositae–Heliantheae s. l. 5: 1–232. In D.E. Breedlove (ed.) Flora of Chiapas. California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco
  4. ↑ Villarreal, J. A. 2003. Compositae. Tribu Tageteae. En: Rzedowski, G. C. de y J. Rzedowski (eds.). Flora del Bajío y de regiones adyacentes. Fascículo 113. Instituto de Ecología-Centro Regional del Bajío. Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología y Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad. Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México.
  5. ↑ Conabio, Malezas de México, Tagetes foetidissima DC.
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