印加孔雀草 yin jia kong que cao

Tagetes bonariensis Persoon; T. glandulifera Schrank; T. porophyllum Vellozo; T. riojana M. Ferraro.

Annual herbs, 10-250 cm, plant aromatic. Stems much branched in larger plants and almost woody, ribbed, glabrous, glandular. Leaves mostly opposite, often alternate in upper part, dark green, pinnatisect, elliptic in outline, 3-30 × 0.7-8 cm, rachis narrowly winged, lobes up to 17, linear-oblong, to 11 × 1 cm, with orange glands. Synflorescence a dense terminal corymb. Capitula narrowly cylindric; involucre 8-12 mm; phyllaries 3 or 4, yellow-green, fused, glabrous, with brown or orange linear glands. Ray florets 2 or 3, pale yellow to cream, lamina 2-3.5 mm. Disk florets 4-7, yellow to dark yellow, 4-5 mm. Achenes black, narrowly ellipsoid, 6-7 mm, pilose; pappus of 1 or 2 setae to 3 mm and 3 or 4 scales to 1 mm, apices ciliate.

Recently naturalized in Taiwan [widespread in Central and South America; naturalized in Africa (Kenya, South Africa) and Australia].

The occurrence of this species in Taiwan was first reported by C. M. Wang and Chih H. Chen (Taiwania 51: 32-35. 2006).