Calendula officinalis L.
marigold
Erect or ascending, annual or short-lived perennial herb, sometimes somewhat woody toward base, (10)-15-50 cm tall. Stems densely clothed in short, erect, glandular hairs, usually becoming glabrous below, much-branched. Basal and lower cauline lvs sparsely to moderately clothed in simple and glandular hairs, ciliate, usually narrow-obovate, sometimes elliptic or ± orbicular, entire, with few minute scattered marginal teeth, or rarely remotely dentate, obtuse to acute and mucronate, apetiolate and long-cuneate, 6-20 × 1.5-5 cm; upper cauline lvs similar to lower but becoming smaller, oblong to lanceolate, broad-based and often ± amplexicaul. Capitula solitary, 35-85 mm diam. Involucral bracts in 2 rows, glandular and ciliate, lanceolate, acuminate, 10-15 mm long, the inner with more conspicuous membranous margins. Ray florets (20)-40-60, in 1-several rows; ligules usually orange, sometimes pale orange or yellow, clearly exceeding bracts, (8)-12-30 mm long; disc florets numerous, usually orange, sometimes pale orange or yellow, rarely brownish black. Achenes glabrous or sparsely hairy, usually of 3 types; outermost achenes strongly incurved, long-beaked, 12-18 mm diam., with small stout spines on back, usually alternating with shorter, short-beaked, broadly 3-winged, tuberculate or smooth-backed achenes; inner achenes enclosed by outer, tuberculate on back, 4-7 mm diam.
N.: Auckland City, vicinity of Hamilton, Hawke's Bay, Wellington Province; S.: Nelson City, Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago, Southland, near settlements.
Origin unknown 1883
Waste places, rubbish dumps, coastal sites.
FL Oct-May.
Marigold, or pot marigold as it is also called, is widely cultivated; ligules of cvs vary from pale yellow to deep orange with the disc wholly or partly coloured yellow, orange, brownish black or green. Wild plants occur as casuals or are locally well-established, and include a range of disc and ray colours although most have wholly orange or yellow capitula.
