Taxon: Tithonia rotundifolia (Mill.) S. F. Blake

Summary

Genus:

Tithonia

Family:

Asteraceae (alt. Compositae)

Subfamily:

Asteroideae

Tribe:

Heliantheae

Nomen number:

36735

Place of publication:

Contr. Gray Herb. 52:41. 1917

Verified:

03/25/2012 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

4 (2 active, 1 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Basionym
Tagetes rotundifolia Mill.

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Helianthus speciosus Hook.
Tithonia speciosa (Hook.) Griseb.

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Balick, M. J. et al. 2000. Checklist of the vascular plants of Belize, with common names and uses. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 85
Blake, S. F. 1921. Revision of the genus Tithonia. Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 20:426-427.
Breedlove, D. E., ed. 1981-. Flora of Chiapas.
Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
Grierson, A. J. C. & D. J. Long. 1984-. Flora of Bhutan including a record of plants from Sikkim.
Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Hokche, O. et al. 2008. Nuevo catálogo de la flora vascular de Venezuela.
Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
La Duke, J. C. 1982. Revision of Tithonia. Rhodora 84:480-485.
Lasser, T., ed. 1964-. Flora de Venezuela.
Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Liogier, H. A. & L. F. Martorell. 1982. Flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands: a systematic synopsis.
McVaugh, R. 1983-. Flora Novo-Galiciana.
Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova.
Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
Stevens, W. D. et al., eds. 2001. Flora de Nicaragua. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 85(1-3).
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: mentions
Villaseñor, J. L. 1989. Manual para la identificacion de las Compositae de la Peninsula de Yucatan y Tabasco. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Techn. Rep. no. 4
Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	Mexican-sunflower	1	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
English	red-sunflower	1	Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
Afrikaans	roosionneblom	2	Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12
German	mexikanische Sonnenblume	2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen
German	mexikanische Tithonie	2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen
Portuguese (Brazil)	margarida-mexicana	2	Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
Swedish	inkakrage	2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Coahuila de Zaragoza		Breedlove, D. E., ed. 1981-. Flora of Chiapas.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Durango		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Northern Mexico	Mexico	Zacatecas		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Campeche		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Chiapas		Breedlove, D. E., ed. 1981-. Flora of Chiapas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Colima		Breedlove, D. E., ed. 1981-. Flora of Chiapas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Guerrero		Breedlove, D. E., ed. 1981-. Flora of Chiapas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Hidalgo		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Jalisco		Breedlove, D. E., ed. 1981-. Flora of Chiapas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	México		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Morelos		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Nayarit		Breedlove, D. E., ed. 1981-. Flora of Chiapas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Oaxaca		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Quintana Roo		Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave		Breedlove, D. E., ed. 1981-. Flora of Chiapas.
1	Native	Northern America	Southern Mexico	Mexico	Yucatán		Breedlove, D. E., ed. 1981-. Flora of Chiapas.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Belize			Balick, M. J. et al. 2000. Checklist of the vascular plants of Belize, with common names and uses. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 85
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Costa Rica			La Duke, J. C. 1982. Revision of Tithonia. Rhodora 84:480-485.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	El Salvador			Breedlove, D. E., ed. 1981-. Flora of Chiapas.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala			Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Honduras			Breedlove, D. E., ed. 1981-. Flora of Chiapas.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua			Breedlove, D. E., ed. 1981-. Flora of Chiapas.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Panama			Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.
2	Cultivated					also cult.
4	Naturalized	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zambia			Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
4	Naturalized	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Zimbabwe			Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	Botswana			Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	Eswatini			Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4	Naturalized	Africa	Southern Africa	South Africa			Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
4	Naturalized	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Senegal			Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
4	Naturalized	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Democratic Republic of the Congo			Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
4	Naturalized	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Rwanda			Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	New South Wales		Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
4	Naturalized	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Queensland		Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Louisiana		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil			Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Cuba			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Guadeloupe			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Hispaniola			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Martinique			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Netherlands Antilles	Saba		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Lucia			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Trinidad and Tobago	Trinidad		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Puerto Rico		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela			Hokche, O. et al. 2008. Nuevo catálogo de la flora vascular de Venezuela.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Southern South America	Argentina			Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.

Native
Northern America

NORTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Coahuila de Zaragoza, Durango, Zacatecas]
SOUTHERN MEXICO: Mexico [Campeche, Chiapas, Colima, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, México, Morelos, Nayarit, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, Yucatán]

Southern America

CENTRAL AMERICA: Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador

Cultivated (also cult.)
Naturalized
Africa

WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda
WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Senegal
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Zambia, Zimbabwe
SOUTHERN AFRICA: Botswana, Eswatini, South Africa

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia [New South Wales, Queensland]

Northern America

SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Florida, Louisiana]

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Hispaniola, Netherlands Antilles [Saba], Cuba, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, Martinique, Trinidad and Tobago [Trinidad], United States [Puerto Rico]
NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Venezuela
BRAZIL: Brazil
SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
Balick, M. J. et al. 2000. Checklist of the vascular plants of Belize, with common names and uses. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 85
Breedlove, D. E., ed. 1981-. Flora of Chiapas.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Forzza, R. C. et al., coord. Lista de espécies da flora do Brasil (on-line resource).
Germishuizen, G. & N. L. Meyer, eds. 2003. Plants of southern Africa: an annotated checklist. Strelitzia 14 National Botanical Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
Hokche, O. et al. 2008. Nuevo catálogo de la flora vascular de Venezuela.
Instituto de Botánica Darwinion. 2008. Flora del Conosur. Catálogo de las plantas vasculares.
Jardin botanique national de Belgique. 1967-. Flore du Congo, du Rwanda et du Burundi (Flore d'Afrique centrale).
La Duke, J. C. 1982. Revision of Tithonia. Rhodora 84:480-485.
Rzedowski, J. & G. Rzedowski, eds. 1991-. Flora del Bajio y de regiones adyacentes.
Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
Woodson, R. E. & R. W. Schery, eds. 1943-1980. Flora of Panama.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Reference
Bee plants	honey production	Standley, P. C. & J. A. Steyermark. 1946-1976. Flora of Guatemala.
Environmental	ornamental	Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Environmental	ornamental	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Weed		Henderson, L. 2001. Alien weeds and invasive plants: a complete guide to declared weeds and invaders in South Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute, Handbook 12

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=36735. Accessed 14 April 2026.