''Tagetes minuta'' is a tall upright marigold plant from the

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

Tagetes ''Tagetes'' () is a genusSoule, J. A. 1996. Infrageneric Systematics of Tagetes. Pgs. 435-443 in Compositae: Systematics, Proceedings of the International Compositae Conference, Kew 1994, Vol. I, Eds. D.J.N. Hind & H.J. Beentje. of annual or ...

'', with small flowers,

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

to the southern half of

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...

. Since

Spanish colonization The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its prede ...

, it has been introduced around the world, and has become naturalized in Europe, Asia, Australasia, North America, and Africa. ''Tagetes minuta'' has numerous local names that vary by region. In the Andes it is known as Huacatay or Wacatay, and in other regions it is common as ''chinchilla'', ''chiquilla, chilca, zuico, suico'', or ''anisillo''.Soule, J.A. 1993. Tagetes minuta: A potential new herb from South America. p. 649-654. In: J. Janick and J.E. Simon (eds.), New crops. Wiley, New York. Other names include muster John Henry, southern marigold, khakibos, stinking roger,California Dept. of Food and Agriculture data sheet: ''Tagetes minuta''
/ref> wild marigold, and black mint. It is used as a culinary herb in

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = National seal , national_motto = "Firm and Happy f ...

Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ' ...

, and parts of

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

and Bolivia. It is called by the

Quechua Quechua may refer to: *Quechua people, several indigenous ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru *Quechuan languages, a Native South American language family spoken primarily in the Andes, derived from a common ancestral language **So ...

terms ''huacatay'' in Peru or ''wakataya'' in Bolivia. It is commonly sold in Latin grocery stores in a bottled, paste format as black mint paste.

Description

This species of marigold may grow to become from 0.6–2 meters tall.

Uses

''Tagetes minuta'' has been eaten in various forms since

pre-Columbian In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, ...

times. Dried leaves may be used as a seasoning and huacatay paste is used to make the popular Peruvian potato dish called '' ocopa''. An

herbal tea Herbal teas, also known as herbal infusions and less commonly called tisanes (UK and US , US also ), are beverages made from the infusion or decoction of herbs, spices, or other plant material in hot water. Oftentimes herb tea, or the plain term ...

can be brewed from the leaves. An extraction of the plant, "Marigold oil", is used in the perfume, tobacco, and soft drink industry. In addition to food, the plant can be used to produce dye, and as a green

manure Manure is organic matter that is used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Most manure consists of animal feces; other sources include compost and green manure. Manures contribute to the Soil fertility, fertility of soil by adding organic ma ...

crop for biomass and a bio-fumigant for control of selected species of nematodes.

Toxicity

The oils contained in the oil glands that are found throughout the above ground portions of the plant may cause irritation to the skin and in some cases are said to cause

photodermatitis Photodermatitis, sometimes referred to as sun poisoning or photoallergy, is a form of allergic contact dermatitis in which the allergen must be activated by light to sensitize the allergic response, and to cause a rash or other systemic effects o ...

Gallery

File:Tagetes minuta leaf.jpg, Close-up of pinnate leaf File:Tagetes minuta00.jpg, Wakatay in flower File:Tagetes minuta at Entebbe.jpg, Kawunyira at Entebbe, Uganda File:huacatay.jpg, Peruvian black mint seedling Ocopa (Peru).JPG, Ocopa

References

External links

* *
Plants for a Future: ''Tagetes minuta''

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q599870 minuta Flora of South America Flora of southern South America Herbs Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Latin American cuisine