tithonia

[ti-thoh-nee-uh, -thohn-yuh]

noun

any of several tall composite plants of the genus Tithonia, native to Mexico and Central America, having yellow or orange-red ray flowers.

Origin of tithonia

1935–40; < New Latin, equivalent to Latin Tīthōn(us) husband of Aurora + -ia -ia

Also called Mexican sunflower.

It has also been observed in Tithonia, and is of constant occurrence in the seed leaves of some Mesembryanthema.
Vegetable Teratology
Maxwell T. Masters