About
Contact
Links
Electronic Flora of South Australia
Electronic Flora of South Australia
Census of SA Plants, Algae & Fungi
Identification tools
 

Electronic Flora of South Australia genus Fact Sheet

Family: Asteraceae
Calendula

Citation: L., Sp. Pl. 921 (1753).

Derivation: Latin kalendae, the calends or first day of each month; probably because C. officinalis can be in flower in any month of the year.

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Marigolds.

Description:
Annual and perennial herbs, more or less pubescent, ,often with glandular hairs; leaves cauline, alternate, entire to pinnatifid flat.

Capitula terminal, pedunculate, radiate, heterogamous; involucres broadly campanulate; bracts free, linear, herbaceous with scarious margins, 1- or 2-seriate, subequal; receptacle flat, naked, pitted; ray florets female, 2- or 3-seriate, ligulate, yellow to orange, fertile; style filiform with short obtuse branches each with an apical tuff of papillae.

Ray achenes curved, glabrous; often polymorphic; pappus absent; disk florets bisexual, sterile, tubular, 5-merous; anthers sagittate or tailed at the base with ovate acute terminal appendages; style short, branches vestigial; disk achenes abortive.

Distribution:  About 20 species in the Mediterranean region, 2 naturalised in Australia.

Biology: No text

Key to Species:
1. Lower leaves lanceolate to oblong; fruiting capitulum 1-2 cm diam.; involucral bracts 4-8 mm long
C. arvensis 1.
1. Lower leaves oblanceolate to spathulate; fruiting capitulum 2-4 cm diam.; involucral bracts 8-13 mm long
C. officinalis 2.

Author: Not yet available


Disclaimer Copyright Disclaimer Copyright Email Contact:
State Herbarium of South Australia
Government of South Australia Government of South Australia Government of South Australia Department for Environment and Water