Tagetes filifolia is a New World species of marigolds in the family Asteraceae. It is widespread across much of Latin America from northern Mexico to Argentina.Turner, B. L. 1996. The Comps of Mexico: A systematic account of the family Asteraceae, vol. 6. Tageteae and Athemideae. Phytologia Memoirs 10: i–ii, 1–22, 43–93Williams, L. O. 1976. Tribe VI, Helenieae. En: D. L. Nash & L. O. Williams (Eds), Flora of Guatemala - Part XII. Fieldiana, Botany 24(12): 361–386, 571–580Hokche, O., P. E. Berry & O. Huber. (eds.) 2008. Nuevo Catálogo de la Flora Vascular de Venezuela 1–859. Fundación Instituto Botánico de Venezuela, CaracasJørgensen, P. M., M. H. Nee & S. G. Beck. (eds.) 2014. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia, Monographs in systematic botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 127(1–2): i–viii, 1–1744.Idárraga-Piedrahita, A., R. D. C. Ortiz, R. Callejas Posada & M. Merello. (eds.) 2011. Flora de Antioquia: Catálogo de las Plantas Vasculares 2: 9–939. Universidad de Antioquia, MedellínJørgensen, P. M. & C. Ulloa Ulloa. 1994. Seed plants of the high Andes of Ecuador—A checklist. AAU Reports 34: 1–443 Common name is Irish lace despite the fact that the plant does not grow in Ireland.Useful Tropical Plants, Tagetes filifolia, Common Name: Irish Lace
Tagetes filifolia is a branching annual herb up to 50 cm (20 inches) tall. It has a strong aroma similar to that of anise or liquorice. Leaves resemble small branching, feathery threads.
People of the native range of the species use it as a food flavoring, a tea, and a diuretic.
References
External links photo of herbarium specimen at Missouri Botanical garden, collected in Bolivia in 2011