CALENDULA

Calendula L., Sp. Pl. 2: 921. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed. 5: 393. 1754; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 19-21: 819; Fl. North Amer. @ eFloras.org 19-21: 381.

Annuals, perennials herbs, sometimes suffrutescent, 5-50 (-70+) cm; stems procumbent to erect, glabrous or arachnose and/ or stipitate-glandular. Leaves alternate, sessile or petiolate; leaf blade elliptic or linear, bases sometimes clasping, margins entire, wavy or denticulate, faces sparsely arachnose and / or stipitate-glandular. Capitula solitary, radiate. Involucres campanulate to hemispheric or broader, 10-30+ mm in diameter. Phyllaries 1-2-seriate, 30-40+, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, acuminate with scarious margins. Receptacle flat or convex, glabrous, heterogamous. Ray florets: 13-50 in 1-3 series, female, fertile, zygomorphic. Corolla yellow to orange; limb linear to oblanceolate, apically 3-denticulate. Style terete, 2-lobed. Disc florets: 20-60 (-150+), actinomorphic, bisexual, functionally staminate, epigynous. Corolla yellow, reddish or purplish, tubular-funnelform, tubes +/- shorter than throats, style undivided, apically thickened or globose. Cypselae polymorphic, arcuate to +/- coiled, usually some beaked, some 2-3-winged, some both winged and beaked, triquetrous, abaxial surface usually rugose to tuberculate-aculeate and/ or transversely ridged.

12 species

Calendula officinalis

Calendula officinalis L., Sp. Pl. 2: 921. 1753; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 19-21: 819; Fl. North Amer. @ eFloras.org 19-21: 382.

Herbs, annual, 20-75 cm tall, usually branched from base, green, +/- glandular pubescent. Leaves alternate, sessile, basal and cauline; basal leaves oblong-obovate to spatulate, 15-23 cm x 5-7 cm, margin entire or remotely denticulate; cauline leaves oblong, oblong-lanceolate or oblong-obovate, 5-15 cm x 1-3 cm, +/- amplexicaul, margin inconspicuously repand-denticulate, apex acute; leaves pubescent on both surfaces. Capitula radiate, 4-5 cm in diameter, solitary on peduncles, peduncle 5-8 (-12+) cm long, radiate. Involucres campanulate to hemispheric, 10-30+ mm diameter. Phyllaries 12-40+ in 2 series, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, outer slightly longer than inner ones, acuminate, arachnose or pilose; receptacle naked. Ray florets: 30-50 (-100+) in 1-3 series, female, fertile, zygomorphic, ligulate. Corolla yellow or orange; tube very short, hairy; limb oblanceolate, ca. 2 x as long as involucre, 4-5 mm, apically 3-denticulate. Style terete, 2-lobed. Disc florets: (30-) 60-150+, bisexual, functionally staminate, actinomorphic. Corolla (4-) 5-6+ mm, campanulate; tube shorter than campanulate throats, lower part of corolla hairy; limb 5-lobed, lobes triangular- lanceolate, yellow, reddish or purplish. Style undivided, capitate/ globose. Cypselae polymorphic, 9-15 ( -25+) mm; yellowish or brownish, outer half-curved, often aculeate, rostrate at apex, some 2-3 winged, inner distinctly curved, abaxial surface rugose, transversely ridged to tuberculate- aculeate.

Flowering and Fruiting: December to April
Common Names: Pot Marigold, Ruddles, Common Marigold, Garden Marigold, English Marigold, Scottish Marigold