Tagetes L.
Aromatic annual or perennial herbs. Lvs opposite, at least below, often alternate above, pinnatifid or pinnate, and usually serrate. Capitula solitary, or in loose to dense corymbs. Involucral bracts in 1 row, connate almost to apex. Receptacle flat; scales 0. Outer florets ♀, ligulate; ligules cream, yellow, orange or red-brown. Inner florets ⚥, tubular (transformed into ligulate florets in some cvs). Achenes long-linear, angled; pappus of 5-10, unequal, often connate, awned scales.
Key
2
Ligules yellow or orange, never red-brown or bicoloured, 10-30 mm long; involucre (12)-15-20 × (6)-8-18 mm, with many evenly distributed glands; leaflets with 2-10-(20) teeth on each side
Ligules yellow, orange, red-brown or bicoloured, 5-15 mm long; involucre 10-18-(20) × 3-12-(14) mm, with many evenly distributed glands or few glands and mostly confined to upper 1/2; leaflets with (0)-2-5-(6) teeth on each side
c. 50 spp., S. U.S.A., Mexico, C. and S. America. Naturalised spp. 4.
