1766 



TAGETES 



3459. Single French Marigold - 

 Tagetes patula (X %). 



TAGETES (Tagus, an Etruscan god). Comp6sit<e. 

 MARIGOLD. A genus of some 20 species of tropical 

 American herbs. Lvs. opposite, pinnately cut or rarely 

 simply serrate: fls. of various sizes, yellow or orange, 



marked in some spe- 

 cies with red. The pop- 

 ular annual species 

 known as "African" 

 and " French " Mari- 

 golds have been de- 

 rived respectively from 

 T. erecta and T. pa- 

 tula, both of which are 

 native to Mexico. Ac- 

 cording to Sweet s 

 Hortus Britannicus, 

 these two species were 

 introduced into cultiva- 

 tion in 1596 and 1573. 



For garden purposes 

 Tagetes may be divided 

 into two groups, based 

 upon habit of growth. 

 T. erecta and lucida are 

 of upright and some- 

 what open growth ; 

 while T. patula and 

 signata are spreading 

 and bushy, the lower 

 branches lying close 

 to the ground and often 

 rooting. 



The French Mari- 

 g !ds ' . patuJn, are 

 valuable bedding 

 plants. Good garden forms are of even height and 

 bushy, compact growth, with a mass of good foliage 

 and well-colored flowers appearing continuously from 

 June until frost. In raising plants, it is preferable to 

 grow them in pots, as this practice seems to check the 

 plants sufficiently to cause them to bloom at a small 

 size and more plentifully during the early summer 

 months than if they were raised with unlimited root 

 room. They should be planted about 1 ft. apart. This 

 species also makes attractive specimens in small pots 

 in a few weeks from seed. Mixed seed of the double 

 sorts will give a large percentage of good double flow- 

 ers, while the seed of special named double sorts is re- 

 markably fine. Some of the single forms are very finely 

 colored. 



The African Marigolds, T. erecta, are not well suited 

 to bedding purposes, the growth being too open, but for 

 the mixed border or shrubbery they are excellent late- 

 blooming subjects. This species should be grown with 

 plenty of root room, air and rich soil from start to 

 finish if the largest and most double flowers are de- 

 sired. The African Marigolds are very useful as cut- 

 flowers except under circumstances where their odor is 

 objectionable. 

 For Pot Marigolds, see Calendula. 



A. Fls. generally marked with red. 

 patula, Linn. FRENCH MARIGOLD. Fig. 2459. A hardy 

 annual, usually about 1 ft. high and much branched 

 from near the base, forming a compact, bushy plant: 

 Ivs. darker green than in T. erecta, pinnately divided; 

 lobes linear-lanceolate, serrate: fls. smaller than in T. 

 erecta and borne on proportionately longer peduncles. 

 B.M. 150; 3830 (as T. corymbosa). Both the single and 

 double forms are grown. The species is very variable 

 as to the color markings of the flowers, which range 

 from almost pure yellow to nearly pure red. 



AA. Fls. not marked with red. 

 B. Isvs. pinnately divided. 



c. Hays numerous. 



erecta, Linn. AFRICAN MARIGOLD. Fig. 2460. A 

 hardy annual growing about 2 ft. high, erect, branched: 

 Ivs. pinnately divided, segments lanceolate-serrate: fls. 

 2-4 times as large as in T. patula and of one solid 

 color, the typical color, according to DeCandolle, being 

 a lemon -yellow. The rays are sometimes rather two- 

 lipped and in one of the garden forms they are quilled. 



TALAUMA 



The color ranges from a light sulfur-yellow to a deep 

 orange, many of the light yellow shades being rare 

 amongst flower colors. This is the common marigold of 

 old gardens in America. Foliage very strong-scented. 



cc. Hays few, usually 5. 



signata, Bartl. An annual branching species: Ivs. 

 pinnately divided into usually 12 oblong, linear, sharply 

 serrate segments, the lower teeth awned: rays 5, yel- 

 low, roundish-obovate. Var. pumila, Hort., a dwarf, 

 bushy form, usually less than 1 ft. high, seems to be the 

 only form in the trade. The flowers are bright yellow 

 and small but numerous. The species is suited for 

 massing or for borders. R.H. 1895, p. 505. 



BB. fjvs. lanceolate, simply serrate. 

 lucida, Cav. SWEET-SCENTED MARIGOLD. A tender 

 perennial plant, entirely distinct from the foregoing 

 annuals in the sessile, lanceolate Ivs. and small, usually 

 2-3-rayed fls. in dense, terminal corymbs. The flowers 

 have a much more agreeable odor than the other species 

 cultivated. Chile. B.M. 740. R.H. 1895, p. 505. -Some- 

 times used as a substitute for Tarragon, which see. 



T. Idcera is a species discovered about 1896 by T. S. Brande- 

 gee in Lower California. It makes a compact bush 4-5 ft. 

 high, bearing a profusion of yellow flowers borne in winter. 

 Small plants flower well in pots. See G.P. 9:67. 



F. W. BARCLAY. 



2460. African Marigold 



Tagetes erecta (X 



TALAUMA (South American name). Magnoliacece. 

 Talauma Hodgsoni is an excellent, magnolia-like, tender 

 evergreen tree with cup-shaped flowers fully 6 inches 

 across and 4 inches deep. It blooms in April. The 

 flowers have a spicy odor, hard, thick, fleshy texture, 

 and the glaucous purplish blue of the sepals contrasts 



