Tithonia

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants}}

{{Automatic taxobox

|image = Tithonia diversifolia.JPG

|image_caption = Tithonia diversifolia

|display_parents = 3

|taxon = Tithonia

|authority = Desf. ex Juss. 1789 not Kuntze 1891 (Phytolaccaceae){{cite web|url=http://www.tropicos.org/NameSearch.aspx?name=Tithonia&commonname= |title=Tropicos, search for "Tithonia" |publisher=Tropicos.org |date= |accessdate=2018-08-31}}

|synonyms =

• Urbanisol Kuntze
• Mirasolia (Sch.Bip.) Benth.
• Tithonia sect. Mirasolia (Sch.Bip.) La Duke

|synonyms_ref = {{cite web |url=http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/genus.pl?12171 |title=Tithonia Desf. ex Juss. |work=Germplasm Resources Information Network |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |date=1996-09-17 |accessdate=2010-06-06}}

}}

File:Tithonia 1.jpg

Tithonia is a genus of flowering plants in the tribe Heliantheae within the family Asteraceae.[https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/5437421#page/284/mode/1up Jussieu, Antoine Laurent de. 1789. Genera Plantarum 189] in Latin{{cite web|url=http://www.tropicos.org/Name/40014926 |title=Tropicos, "Tithonia" Desf. ex Juss |publisher=Tropicos.org |date= |accessdate=2018-08-31}}

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. T. rotundifolia makes a nice fresh cut flower, flowering in mid- to late-summer in the Northern hemisphere.{{Cite web|title=Growing Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower) from Seed {{!}} Johnny's Selected Seeds|url=https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/flowers/tithonia-mexican-sunflower/tithonia-mexican-sunflower-key-growing-information.html|access-date=2020-08-31|website=www.johnnyseeds.com}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=133067 |title=Flora of North America, Vol. 21 Page 138, Sunflowerweed, "Tithonia" Desfontaines ex Jussieu, Gen. Pl. 189. 1789 |publisher=Efloras.org |date= |accessdate=2018-08-31}}