Calendula L.

Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. & Hind, D. J. N. (Eds). (2019). Flora of Iraq, Volume 6: Compositae.Kew Publishing

Morphology General Habit

Annual or perennial, aromatic, often straggling herbs, sometimes woody at base, usually glandular–multicellular–hairy, sometimes also arachnoid

Morphology Leaves

Leaves entire or shallowly toothed, sessile, often ± amplexicaul

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Inflorescences many-headed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum

Capitula heterogamous, radiate, solitary, terminal and axillary

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre

Involucre hemispherical; phyllaries biseriate, imbricate, subequal, linear–lanceolate, acuminate, margins narrow, scarious

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Receptacle

Receptacle flat, naked

Ray

Ray florets female, fertile, corolla limbs, yellow or orange; disc florets functionally male, tubular with 5 apical teeth, yellow, orange, brown or purple

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Achenes 2–3-seriate, heteromorphic, usually incurved; pappus absent.

Distribution

A widely cultivated genus of some 9 species; 3 native species in Iraq.

Etymology

Calendula (from the Lat. calendae and –ula, the diminutive suffix. The Calends are the first days of each month in the Medieval Roman calendar; it is not easy to see why such a name should have been chosen for this genus, though Lindley & Moore (1870) suggested that the connection perhaps originated because species of the common plant may be found in flower on the calends of every month in the year.