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- Asteraceae Group 6
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- Tagetes minuta
Tagetes minuta — miniature marigold
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Facts
Miniature marigold, native to the grasslands of southern South America, is widely cultivated as a culinary herb in the cuisines of that region. It is also grown for its essential oils, used in the perfume industry. Miniature marigold is invasive in Europe, Asia and Africa, and it has occasionally been found in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade edges
-
- the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Ray flower color
- yellow
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Leaf blade length
- 80–150 mm
- Disk flower number
- 1-5
-
Flowers
- Bases of bract appendages
- NA
- Bract color
- the bracts are not colored or tinged with pink, red or purple
- Bract cycle number
-
- there are two main cycles of bracts
- there is one main cycle of bracts
- Bract outer side hair type
- the bracts are not hairy on their outer surface
- Bract outer side hairs
- the bracts are not hairy on their outer surfaces
- Bract separation
- at least some flower heads have bracts connected to one another at or near their bases
- Bract spines
- the bracts have no spines
- Bract width
- 1.5–3
- Bracts
- the bracts in separate cycles are similar or gradually changing from the outer to inner cycles
- Disk flower color
-
- green to brown
- orange
- yellow
- Disk flower lobe number
- 5
- Disk flower number
- 1-5
- Disk flower reproductive parts
- the disk flower has both pollen- and seed-producing parts
- Disk flower shape
- the disk flower is tube-shaped (cylindrical), or gradually widening like a funnel
- Flower head outer flowers
- at the outer edge of the flower head, each flower has a single enlarged lobe or strap
- Flower head platform
- the base has no bristles or papery scales
- Flower head platform surface
- NA
- Flower head position
- each of the flower heads is separate on its own peduncle (stalk), not clustered in groups
- Flower head profile
-
- the disk is conical across the top
- the disk is rounded across the top
- Flower head shape
- the sides of the flower head are roughly parallel, like a cylinder
- Flower type in flower heads
- the flower head has tubular disk flowers in the center and ray flowers, these often strap-shaped, around the periphery
- Height of flower head base
- 7–12 mm
- Inflorescence branching (Solidago)
- NA
- Inflorescence shape
- the inflorescence is flat-topped in profile
- Inflorescence stem
- the stem of the inflorescence is not hairy
- Number of bracts at flower head base
- 3–4
- Ovary cross-section
-
- the ovary has five or more corners in cross-section
- the ovary is compressed (flattened)
- Ovary hair type
- the ovary has hairs on it, but the hairs have no glands
- Ovary hairs
- the ovary has hairs on it
- Ovary profile
- in profile, the ovary is another shape
- Peduncle hair type
- NA
- Peduncle hairs
- the peduncles have no hairs
- Peduncle length
- 1–5 mm
- Ray flower color
- yellow
- Ray flower reproductive parts
-
- the ray flowers have carpels or stamens, but not both
- there are neither carpels nor stamens in the ray flowers
- Ray flowers
- 1-5
- Ray length
- 1–2 mm
- Reproductive system
- all the flowers on the plant contain both carpels and stamens
- Scale tip
- NA
- Smaller bracts at base of bracts
- there is a cycle of much smaller bracts outside the cycle of larger and longer bracts
- Style branch number
- the style has two branches
- Width of flower head base
- 1.5–3 mm
-
Fruits or seeds
- Number of pappus parts
-
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- Ovary length in developed fruit
- 4.5–7 mm
- Seed hair tuft bases
- NA
- Seed hair tuft color
- NA
- Seed hair tuft details
- NA
- Seed hair tuft length
- 0.5–3 mm
- Seed hair tuft tips
- NA
- Seed hairs uniform
- there are two distinct lengths of pappus hairs
- Seed tuft scale number
- 3–7
- Seed tuft type
- the pappus is made of flat scales that are not split or frayed at the tips
- Top of disk flower ovary
- NA
- Tuft or plume on fruit
- there is no plume, or the plume is made up of scales, awns, a crown, or a rim
-
Glands or sap
- Bract resin
- the bracts have resin or resin glands
- Leaf blade glands
- the leaf blades have glandular (translucent) dots or scales
- Sap
- the sap is clear and watery
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant has one or more free-standing stems
- Plant lifespan
- the plant is annual, it lacks evidence of previous years' growth
- Spines on plant
- the plant has no spines
- Underground organs
- there is a thickened taproot on the plant
-
Leaves
- Final leaf segment length (compound lvs only)
- 15–60 mm
- Final leaf segment width (compound lvs only)
- 20–100 mm
- Hairs on underside of leaf blade
- the underside of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Hairs on upper side of leaf blade
- the upper side of the leaf is not hairy, or has very few hairs
- Leaf arrangement
-
- alternate: there is one leaf per node along the stem
- opposite: there are two leaves per node along the stem
- Leaf blade base
-
- the leaf has a distinct petiole
- the leaf has no petiole
- Leaf blade base shape
- the base of the leaf blade is cuneate (wedge-shaped, tapers to the base with relatively straight, converging edges), or narrow
- Leaf blade edges
-
- the edge of the leaf blade has lobes, or it has both teeth and lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has no teeth or lobes
- the edge of the leaf blade has teeth
- Leaf blade hairs
- NA
- Leaf blade length
- 80–150 mm
- Leaf blade shape
- the leaf blade is elliptic (widest near the middle and tapering at both ends)
- Leaf blade tip
- the tip of the leaf blade is obtuse (bluntly pointed)
- Leaf blade veins
- the leaf blade has one main vein running from the base towards the tip
- Leaf blade width
- 7–80 mm
- Leaf disposition
- the leaves are nearly similar in size, prominence of teeth, and length of stalks throughout the stem
- Leaf spines
- there are no spines on the leaf edges
- Leaf stalk
-
- the leaves have leaf stalks
- the leaves have no leaf stalks, but attach directly to the stem
- Leaf tip extension
- NA
- Leaf type
- leaves are simple (i.e., lobed or unlobed but not separated into leaflets)
- Leaflet number
- 0
- Specific leaf type
- the leaf has a row of two or more lobes on each side of the central axis
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Specific habitat
-
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- meadows or fields
-
Scent
- Plant odor
- the plant has a pleasant odor, such as licorice, fruit or resin
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Flowering stem cross-section
- the flowering stem is circular, or with lots of small angles
- Leaves on stem
- there is at least one full leaf above the base of the flowering stem
- Stem internode hair direction
- NA
- Stem internode hair length
- 0 mm
- Stem internode hair type
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
- Stem internode hairs
- the stem has no hairs between the nodes
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- absent
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- absent
- Rhode Island
- absent
- Vermont
- absent
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- not applicable (S-rank: SNA)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
2. Tagetes minuta L. E
miniature marigold. CT, MA. Roadsides, fields, waste areas.