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:
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About 20 species in the Mediterranean region, 2 naturalised in Australia.
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Biology:
No text
Key to Species:
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1. Lower leaves lanceolate to oblong; fruiting capitulum 1-2 cm diam.; involucral bracts 4-8 mm long |
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C. arvensis 1. |
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1. Lower leaves oblanceolate to spathulate; fruiting capitulum 2-4 cm diam.; involucral bracts 8-13 mm long |
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C. officinalis 2. |
Author:
Not yet available
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