Calendula officinalis, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1976, Flora Europaea. Volume 4. Plantaginaceae to Compositae (and Rubiaceae), Cambridge University Press : 207

2. C. officinalis L. , Sp. Pl. 921 (1753).

Annual to perennial, woody only at the base. Stems (17-)20-50(-70) cm, erect, diffuse or procumbent, much-branched, generally leafy almost to apex. Leaves (3—)7—14(—17) x l-4(-6) cm, oblanceolate, narrowly obovate, oblong or spathulate, shortly acute or obtuse, glandular-pubescent to sparsely arachnoid-floccose, usually subentire to obscurely repand-dentate. Capitula usually 4-7 cm in diameter. Ligules often 2 cm, at least twice as long as the involucral bracts, yellow or orange; tubular florets usually more or less concolorous with ligules, sometimes brownish. Capitula in fruit with or without an outer row of incurved (or rarely patent) narrowly beaked achenes 2-2-5 cm, alternating with much shorter, cymbiform (rarely 3-winged) achenes. Cultivatedfor ornament throughout Europe; locally naturalized in S. & W. Europe and a frequent casual elsewhere. [Az Br Hs It.] (Origin unknown.)