Tagetes erecta L.
African marigold
Erect, glabrous, aromatic annual, up to c. 60 cm tall. Stems much-branched or sparingly branched. Lvs 1-pinnate, shortly petiolate; leaflets in 2-4-(8) pairs, narrow-elliptic to lanceolate, 1-4-(5) cm long, with 2-10-(20) teeth on each side, and scattered, large, sessile glands on both surfaces. Upper cauline lvs smaller than lower, with fewer, narrower leaflets and fewer leaflet teeth. Capitula c. 4-6 cm diam., solitary; peduncles fistular. Involucre campanulate, (12)-15-20 × (6)-8-18 mm, with 5-7 short teeth at apex; glands long, many, ± evenly distributed above and below. Ray florets 8-numerous; ligules pale yellow to bright orange, 10-30 mm long. Disc florets numerous, yellow or orange, or many or all transformed into ligulate florets. Achenes 3-4-angled, dark brown or black, moderately clothed in short antrorse hairs especially on angles, c. 10-11 × 1-1.3 mm; pappus scales fused toward base, the longest c. 11-12 mm and with minute marginal antrorse hairs.
S.: Christchurch and near Timaru; K.: Raoul.
Mexico 1977
Persistent discard or casual.
FL Jan-Apr.
A range of colour forms, and double and single cvs, of African marigold are grown and have been collected occasionally as escapes from cultivation. T. erecta is very similar to T. patula, but is generally taller and stouter with longer ligules, more glands toward the base of the involucre, and sometimes more leaflet teeth. Depauperate plants of T. erecta, as can be expected to occur in the wild, are most similar to T. patula in size and lf characters. T. erecta is less hardy than T. patula and is commonly naturalised in the Pacific Is.
