What is "tithonia"

n. any plant of the genus Tithonia; tall coarse herbs or shrubs of Mexico to Panama having large flower heads resembling sunflowers with yellow disc florets and golden-yellow to orange-scarlet rays [syn: Mexican sunflower]

Tithonia is a genus of flowering plants in the sunflower tribe within the Asteraceae family.

Tithonia has a center of distribution in Mexico but with one species extending into the Southwestern United States and several native to Central America. Two species, T. diversifolia and T. rotundifolia, are widely cultivated and have escaped to become weeds in tropical and subtropical areas around the world. The distinguishing feature of the genus is the peduncle, which is fistulose (meaning hollow and flaring toward the apex). The plants are coarse annual or perennial herbs or shrubs, and one species, T. koelzii, is a small tree.

1. Tithonia brachypappa B.L.Rob. - San Luis Potosí
2. Tithonia calva Sch.Bip. - Durango, Sinaloa
3. Tithonia diversifolia ( Hemsl.) A.Gray – Tree Marigold - Mexico, Central America; naturalized in Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Florida, Texas, various oceanic islands
4. Tithonia fruticosa Canby & Rose - Chihuahua, Durango, Sonora, Sinaloa
5. Tithonia helianthoides Bernh.
6. Tithonia hondurensis La Duke - Belize, Honduras
7. Tithonia koelzii McVaugh - Jalisco
8. Tithonia longiradiata (Bertol.) S.F.Blake - Mexico, Central America
9. Tithonia pedunculata Cronquist - Oaxaca
10. Tithonia pittieri (Greenm.) S.F.Blake - Central America
11. Tithonia rotundifolia ( Mill.) S.F.Blake - Mexico, Central America; naturalized in Florida, Louisiana, South America
12. Tithonia tagetiflora Desf. - Veracruz
13. Tithonia thurberi Gray – Arizona Sunflower Weed - Chihuahua, Sonora, Arizona ( Pima County)
14. Tithonia tubiformis (Jacq.) Cass. - Mexico, Central America; naturalized in Argentina

see Comaclinium Enceliopsis Lasianthaea Viguiera