Volume 13 > Part 2 > Year 2016 > Page 416 > Compositae (Asteraceae) > Tithonia

Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A.Graywfo-0000018279

Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 19: 5. 1883; Backer & Bakh.f., Fl. Java 1: 405. 1965; Shih, Fl. Reipubl. Popularis Sin. 75: 356. 1979; Grierson, Revis. Handb. Fl. Ceylon 1: 218. 1980; Y.S.Chen & D.J.N.Hind, Fl. China 20–21: 874. 2011.— Mirasolia diversifolia Hemsl., Biol. Cent. Amer., Bot. 2: 168, t. 1881.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Perennial herb or shrub, 2–3 m tall or more; stems striate, sparsely pubescent or glabrescent. Leaves alternate, petiolate, blade of lower leaves 3-lobed, 5–15 by 2.5–10 cm, apex of each lobe acuminate, base cuneate to petiole, margins crenate-serrate, blade of upper leaves oblanceolate or ovate-deltoid, unlobed, broadly winged almost to base, 3-veined, upper surface hispidulous, lower surface pubescent, glandular; petioles 2–10 cm long. Inflorescences usually solitary, rarely several; peduncles stout, 10–25 cm long. Capitula 10–13 cm diam. at flowering; involucres subglobose, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, 2–2.5 by 1.5–2 cm; phyllaries 15, 3-seriate, imbricate, 1–2 by 0.25–0.55 cm, finely pubescent, apex acute or obtuse; receptacle paleaceous, paleae oblong-spathulate, 10–12 mm long, apex abruptly narrowed, acuminate. Ray florets ca 12 per capitulum, pistillate; ray limbs elliptic, 4.5–6 by 0.7–1.5 cm, yellow, apex 2–3 lobed, basal tube 1–2 mm long. Disc florets numerous; corollas 9–11 mm long including basal tubes, apex 5-lobed, lower half puberulous, yellow. Achenes oblong, 5–6 mm long, subcompressed, dark brown, setuliferous; pappus of 2 awns 4–5 mm long, with ca 6 short broad scales, base connate.

Thailand : NORTHERN: Chiang Mai (Ban Yang, Doi Inthanon), Chiang Rai, Phayao.

Distribution : Native of C America (Mexico – type), now introduced into southern part of E Asia and S Africa.

Ecology : Abundant at roadsides and on waste ground in mountainous areas, particularly at 600–1,500 m alt. Flowering: July–April.

Vernacular : Dao rueang yipun (ดาวเรืองญี่ปุ่น)(Bangkok); than tawan nu (ทานตะวันหนู), bua tong (บัวตอง)(Bangkok); benchamat nam (เบญจมาศน้ำ)(Bangkok).

CommonName : Mexican sunflower.