Marigolds are scented herbs of the genus Tagetes, and the ones
in our gardens are mostly originally from Mexico, where they are
known as calÚndulas. About four Tagetes species are commonly
cultivated, but untold numbers of hybrids, varieties and strains
have been developed by horticulturists. The one pictured above
is a "French Marigold" (from Mexico), Tagetes patula. Since
marigolds are members of the Composite Family, the blossoms you
see above are actually clusters of many flowers. At the left you
see a marigold I've split in half, showing disk flowers stacked
in the center, with ray flowers at the side. At the right you
see a ray flower on the left and the tubular disk flower on the
right. In the picture at the top of the page, it's clear that
the ray flowers comprise the reddish outside portion of the
blossom, while the disk flowers make the yellow center. At the
right, notice the Y-shaped stigma arising at the base of the
flaring blade of the ray flower. The dark bottom of the ray
flower is a mature fru