About Tagetes foetidissima DC.
Tagetes foetidissima DC. is a species of marigold in the Asteraceae family, native to Mesoamerica. It is widely distributed across much of Mexico and Central America, ranging from Tamaulipas to Costa Rica. Its common name is "flor de muerto", which translates to "death flower" in Spanish.
This plant is a branching annual herb that can reach up to 100 cm (40 inches) in height. Its leaves grow to a maximum length of 9 cm (3.6 inches), and are divided into 11 to 29 toothed leaflets. A single plant produces many small flower heads arranged in a flat-topped cluster. Each flower head holds 5 small, pale yellow ray florets that surround approximately 7 greenish-yellow disc florets. The flower head is cylindrical in shape, with purple bracts along its outer surface.
Tagetes foetidissima grows in disturbed areas, and has been recorded as a weed in cultivated maize fields. It is aromatic, but most people find its scent unpleasant.
