Illustrative key for Calendula spp. in the Maltese Islands - by Stephen Mifsud.
Vers V3.82 (beta)

Calendula L.
Marigolds Suffejr
Taxa left beyond this couplet: 7 C. arvensis subsp. arvensis C. arvensis subsp. bicolor C. maritima C. officinalis C. suffruticosa subsp. fulgida intermediates C. suffruticosa subsp. fulgida var. fulgida C. suffruticosa subsp. fulgida var. gussonii Description of Calendula Annual or perennial herbs, sometimes woody at the base, often glandular and aromatic. Leaves alternate, simple. Inflorescence sometimes branched. Involucral bracts in 1-2 rows, linear, acuminate, subequal, with a narrow scarious margin. Receptacle flat, without scales. Capitula medium. Outer florets ligulate, yellow or orange, female, fertile. Inner florets tubular, yellow, orange, brown or violet-purple, functionally male. Anthers sagittate-caudate; filaments free. Outer achenes with a narrow beak, sometimes cymbiform, or 3-winged; inner smaller, strongly falcate or almost annular, tuberculate-rugose on dorsal surface, usually unwinged; pappus absent. Description by R.D. Meikle extracted from Flora Europaea Vol 1-5 (Tutin et al., 1964-1993)

Calendula key steps >> 1

	Lead 1.A	+	Ray florets less than twice as long as the involucral bracts	ref	2 [C. arvensis group]
		+ +	Ray florets less than 20mm long	ref
		+ + +	When rubbed, leaves gives off a strong spicy-pungent (somewhat foul) odour	ref

OR

	Lead 1.B	-	Ray florets at least twice as long as the involucral bracts	ref	3
		- -	Ray florets equal or longer than 20mm	ref
		- - -	Leaves without such odour or else rather faint and not very pungent.	ref

[A] Illustration of Lead 1.A +	[B] Illustration of Lead 1.B -	Identification Tips
		The ray florets (sometimes referred to as ligules) are the colourful radiating petals. The involucral bracts are the green structures below the yellow ray florets.
Image of Calendula arvensis by Stephen Mifsud	Image of Calendula officinalis by Stephen Mifsud	-