TAGETES (a name of mythological derivation, from Tagus, one of the Etruscan deities). Marigold. ORD. Compositae. A genus comprising about a score species of mostly hardy, erect and branched or diffuse, annual herbs, natives of the warmer parts of America. Flower-heads yellow or orange, long-pedunculate or densely corymbose; ray florets one-seriate, solitary, or rarely deficient; disk hermaphrodite; involucral bracts one-seriate; receptacle flat, often small; achenes linear, glabrous or pilose. Leaves opposite, pinnately dissected or rarely undivided and serrulated. The best-known species are here described. For culture, and further remarks respecting TAGETES erecta and TAGETES patula, see Marigold. TAGETES corymbosa (corymbose) A synonym of TAGETES patula. TAGETES erecta (erect).* African Marigold. fl.-heads citron-yellow, twice the size of those of the French Marigold; involucre sub-angular; peduncles one-headed, thickened at the apex. July. l. pinnatisect; segments lanceolate, serrulated; serratures, especially those of the upper leaves, aristate. Stems and branches erect. h. 2ft. Mexico, 1596. See Fig. 2. TAGETES florida (flowery). A synonym of TAGETES lucida. TAGETES gigantea (gigantic). fl. unknown. l. opposite, pinnate, having a balsamic odour; leaflets soft, narrowly elliptic, toothed. Stem stout, pruinose, 6ft. to 9ft. high. Bolivia, 1886. A stout, half-hardy herb. TAGETES glandulifera (gland-bearing). fl.-heads pale yellow, fascicled-corymbose; involucre cylindrical. October. l. alternate, pinnatisect; segments thirteen to seventeen, linear-sub-lanceolate, acuminate at each end, 1 1/2in. or more long. Stems and branches erect, the latter short. h. 4ft. South America, 1826. TAGETES lucida (shining). Sweet-scented Mexican Marigold. fl.-heads yellow; involucre cylindrical. August. l. lanceolate, argutely serrated, aristate-serrated at base. Stems erect, scarcely branched. h. 1ft. Mexico and South America, 1798. Half-hardy. (A. B. R. 359; B. M. 740.) This species varies in having the lower leaves obtuse, and the upper ones acute and narrower. SYN. TAGETES florida (S. B. F. G. ser. ii. 35). TAGETES patula (spreading).* French Marigold. fl.-heads fuscous-golden or fulvous; involucre smooth; peduncles elongated, one-headed, nearly cylindrical. August. l. pinnatisect; segments linear-lanceolate, serrated; serratures, especially the upper ones, aristate. Stems erect; branches spreading. h. 1 1/2ft. Mexico, 1573. See Fig. 3. (B. M. 150.) SYN. TAGETES corymbosa (B. M. 3830; S. B. F. G. 151). TAGETES signata (distinct). Striped Mexican Marigold. fl.-heads yellow; involucre oblong-ovate, five-angled; peduncles one-headed, scarcely thickened above. Summer. l. pinnatisect, segments six pairs, oblong-lanceolate, incised-serrated, the lower serratures aristate. Stems erect, branched. h. 1 1/2ft. Mexico. TAGETES signata pumila (dwarf). This is of dwarfer, more compact habit than the type. See Fig. 4. (R. H. 1863, p. 11.) TAGETES tenuifolia (slender-leaved)*. fl.-heads yellow, unspotted; ray florets ample, nearly round; involucre obovate, smooth, shorter than the disk; achenes black. August. l. opposite or alternate, pinnatisect; segments thirteen to seventeen, linear, serrated, the serratures of the upper leaves aristate. h. 2ft. Mexico and Peru, 1797. Plant erect, slightly branched. (B. M. 2045; S. F. G. 141.)