WILD POPULATIONS OF Tagetes filifolia LAG. FROM CENTRAL-SOUTHERN MÉXICO

Abstract

The first report about environmental and morphological aspects related to 102 accessions of wild populations of T. filifolia from central-southern México and their utilization, is presented here. The species was found from 750 to 2686 m of altitude, distributed along 16 terrestrial regions, and growing in several climates: temperate (Cw), semiwarm A (C) and (A) C, warm (A) and semidry (BS), covering 27 climatic subgroups. Different plant expression gradients such as odoriferous cavities in the involucre, fragrance, plant high and plant branching were recorded. Cluster and principal components (PC) multivariate analyses from five quantitative reproductive characteristics assisted to identify six morphological groups, mainly based on large and thin achenes (Group VI) and on short and width achenes (Group I). PC1 and PC2 explained 70 % of morphological variation (45.1 and 24.9 %, respectively) showed by the accessions. Lenghts of involucre, pappus and seed in PC1 and the seed width in PC2 had an important value in the inflorescence variation. Except Group VI there was not assocciation among the accession origin and morphological traits of the inflorescence. A new local use of T. filifolia was documented as condiment for flavouring: anise sweet “atole”, “pulque” and “mezcal”, sugarcane alcohol and young corn canes for chewing.