3155

11: Auxiliary plants

Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsley) A. Gray

COMPOSITAE

Mirasolia diversifolia Hemsley.

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

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

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.

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. Tithonia 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.

[8]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.
[101]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.
[148]Smitinand, T., 1980. Thai plant names. Royal Forest Department, Bangkok, Thailand. 379 pp.
[174]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.

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

Sosef, M.S.M. & van der Maesen, L.J.G., 1997. Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsley) A. Gray. In: Faridah Hanum, I & van der Maesen, L.J.G. (Editors): Plant Resources of South-East Asia No 11: Auxiliary plants. PROSEA Foundation, Bogor, Indonesia. Database record: prota4u.org/prosea