Tagetes foetidissima is a Mesoamerican species of marigolds in the family Asteraceae. 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 | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Tagetes |
| Species: | T. foetidissima
|
| Binomial name | |
| Tagetes foetidissima | |
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
edit- ^ 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
- ^ a b 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
- ^ 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
- ^ 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.
- ^ Conabio, Malezas de México, Tagetes foetidissima DC.
External links
edit- Discover Life with photos
- CONABIO Tagetes foetidissima DC. photos plus links to pages with more information