Tithonia diversifolia (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsley) A. Gray

Family: Compositae

Synonyms

• Mirasolia diversifolia Hemsley.

Vernacular names

• Mexican sunflower (En)
• Indonesia: harsaga, kembang mbulan (Javanese), srengenge leutik (Sundanese)
• Thailand: daoruang-yipun, thantawan-nu, benchamat-nam (Bangkok).

Distribution

Native to Mexico and Central America; introduced into most tropical countries, often naturalized.

Uses

Used as a green manure, for erosion control on steep roadsides and in tea plantations, as an impenetrable hedge plant, in fire-breaks, and as an ornamental. The wood is collected for fuel, e.g. in Java. The flower heads are used medicinally for wounds and bruises, and contain insecticidal substances.

Observations

• Perennial shrub with subterranean stolons, up to 9 m tall.
• Leaves alternate, ovate, ovate-rhomboid, or ovate-oblong, 7-32 cm long, serrate, short-haired and minutely glandular.
• Inflorescence an axillary or terminal, solitary head, 6-14 cm in diameter, with both ray and tubular flowers; peduncle much thickened upwards.
• Corolla yellow; anthers black with a yellow top.
• Pappus consisting of a few scales and 2-3 awns.

T. diversifolia occurs at (0-)200-1500 m altitude. It tolerates regular heavy pruning. In Ivory Coast, annual biomass yields of 60 t/ha have been obtained at cutting intervals of 4 months. The leaves have a nitrogen content of 4%. It sometimes becomes weedy.

Selected sources

• Backer, C.A. & Bakhuizen van den Brink Jr., R.C., 1963-1968. Flora of Java. 3 volumes. Wolters-Noordhoff, Groningen, the Netherlands. 647, 641, 761 pp.
• Mansfeld, R., 1986. Verzeichnis landwirtschaflicher und gärtnerischer Kulturpflanzen (ohne Zierpflanzen) [Register of cultivated agricultural and horticultural plants (without ornamentals)]. Schultze-Motel, J. et al., editors 2nd edition, 4 volumes. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Germany. 1998 pp.
• Smitinand, T., 1980. Thai plant names. Royal Forest Department, Bangkok, Thailand. 379 pp.
• Wealth of India (various editors), 1948-1976. A dictionary of Indian raw materials and industrial products: raw materials. 11 volumes. Publications and Information Directorate, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, India. 4441 pp.

Authors

• M.S.M. Sosef & L.J.G. van der Maesen