Tagetes () is a genus of 50 species of annual or perennial, mostly herbaceous plants in the family Asteraceae. They are among several groups of plants known in English as marigolds. The genus Tagetes was formally named by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. Linnaeus cited Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (1700), Johann Jacob Dillenius (1732), Gaspard Bauhin (1623) and Fabio Colonna (1606) as authors who used the name 'Tagetes' before. In 1754 he published the formal description in his Genera Plantarum, referring to Tournefort, Sébastien Vaillant (1720) and Dillenius for the name 'Tagetes'.
Originally called cempōhualxōchitl, by the Nahua people, these plants are native to Central and Southern Mexico and several other Latin American countries. Some species have become naturalized around the world. One species, T. minuta, is considered a noxious invasive species in some areas.
Description
Tagetes species vary in size from 0.1 to 2.2 m tall. Most species have pinnate green leaves. Blooms naturally occur in golden, orange, yellow, and white colors, often with maroon highlights. Flower heads are typically (1-) to 4–6 cm diameter, generally with both ray florets and disc florets. In horticulture, they tend to be planted as annuals, although the perennial species are gaining popularity. Like all marigolds, they have a fibrous root system.
Depending on the species, Tagetes species grow well in almost any sort of soil. Most horticultural selections grow best in soil with good drainage, and some cultivars are known to have good tolerance to drought.
Nomenclature
The Latin Tagētes terrestis derives from the Tages in Etruscan mythology, born from plowing the earth. It likely refers to the ease with which plants of this genus come out each year either by the seeds produced in the previous year, or by the stems which regrow from the stump already in place.
The common name in English, marigold, is derived from Mary's gold in honor of the Virgin Mary, a name first applied to a...
