A. arvensis
         C. segetum
         C. spinosum
         P. dysenterica
         S. asper
         T. hybridum
         T. porrifolius

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Unless otherwise noted, all pictures on this site were taken in Pelion, Greece, shown on the map below.

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View images of the Common Toad, an ugly, bulky, but really sweet creature with an interesting... nightlife.

  Veggie of the Month

Learn about the Salsify, a beautiful plant, with edible and medicinal properties, that is currently blooming in Pelion.

  Cool Destination

Visit Mourtias, one of Pelion's most picturesque beaches on the Aegean coast.

  Exciting Site

Tour the Volos Archaeological Museum, a pretty century-old building, whose exhibits span a historical period of over 10 millennia!

  Month's Wallpaper

Download a fantastic picture of a rickety jetty in Lefokastron, Pelion, taken by Huw Jones.

Loading image. Please wait Corn Marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum) :: Horton :: 2008/04/28 :: © A.Papadopoulos Corn Marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum) :: Horton :: 2008/04/28 :: © A.Papadopoulos Corn Marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum) :: Horton :: 2008/04/28 :: © A.Papadopoulos Corn Marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum) :: Horton :: 2008/04/28 :: © A.Papadopoulos Corn Marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum) :: Horton :: 2008/04/28 :: © A.Papadopoulos Corn Marigold (Chrysanthemum segetum) :: Horton :: 2008/04/28 :: © A.Papadopoulos

Corn Marigold

Chrysanthemum segetum

The Corn Marigold is a short to tall, greyish, hairless, somewhat fleshy annual, with erect to ascending stems. Its leaves are oblong, deeply and sharply toothed, though the uppermost ones are, quite frequently, entirely untoothed. The flower heads are yellow, daisy-like, 35 to 55mm (1 2/5 – 2 1/5 in), with strap-shaped rays and a flat disc.

It is interesting to note that, as stated by "Natural England", the Corn Marigold is closely associated with man's farming activities. It has been growing in cornfields from the Iron Age to the present day and was once so common and damaging to crops that its destruction, in the U.K., was dictated, by royal decree.

According to "Plants for a Future", the Corn Marigold may contain coumarin. This is a chemical compound/poison, with a sweet smell, readily recognised as the scent of newly mown hay. It has clinical value as the precursor for several anticoagulants, notably warfarin. Therefore, if this were true, it would be unwise to eat the leaves, especially if they are dried, since coumarin can prevent the blood from coagulating, when there is a cut.

The same source also states, that young shoots may be eaten cooked. They are, however, strongly aromatic, since they contain coumarin. Thus, extreme caution is advised, because of the possible side effects, noted above.

"Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases" maintain that the plant is antiseptic,  diuretic,  stomachic and  vermifuge.

Finally, the "HYpermedia for Plant Protection" site states that the species is protected in Limousin, France, by decree (1989/09/01).

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Fact Sheet

Type of plant
Short to tall, greyish, hairless, somewhat fleshy annual.

Flowering Season
February - June.

Known Hazards
May contain coumarin, a chemical found in many plants, which prevents the blood from clotting.

Known Uses
Leaves may be edible when cooked, however extreme caution is advised, because of the plant's potential toxicity. Also has diuretic, stomachic and vermifuge properties. "Plants for a Future" rate it 1 out of 5 for edibility and 0 out of 5 for medicinal uses (min. 0, max. 5).

Habitat
Cultivated and fallow ground, disturbed places, roadsides, banks, open  garrigue and seashores.

Distribution
Throughout the Mediterranean region, however it is probably only native in Asia Minor.

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Taxonomy


Kingdom: Plantae (Plants); Subkingdom: Tracheobionta (Vascular plants); Superdivision: Spermatophyta (Seed plants); Division: Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants); Class: Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons); Subclass: Asteridae; Order: Asterales; Family: Compositae or Asteraceae (Daisy or Sunflower family); Genus: Chrysanthemum; Species: segetum

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Acknowledgments

The following sources have been used in preparing this page:

• BLAMEY, M., GREY-WILSON, C. 1993. Collins Guide to the Mediterranean Wild Flowers. Domino Books, Jersey. (See detailed review)
• "Plants for a Future"
• "HYpermedia for Plant Protection"
• "Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases"
• "Natural England"

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