author(s)
Shantesh Ramesh Kamath, Narendra Singh, Krishna Prakash, Dipak Kumar Gupta and Sikha Manoharan

abstract
Calendula officinalis (pot marigold) typically produces a solitary capitulum, but a rare floral variation was observed where secondary capitula emerged within the primary capitulum, forming a syncephalium-like structure. Out of 50 plants grown at ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Gauria Karma, Jharkhand, one exhibited this variation, with 14 smaller secondary capitula. These secondary heads had fewer disc florets and altered ray florets, leading to reduced seed yield. This phenomenon might be due to hormonal regulation, genetic factors, or evolutionary strategies in Asteraceae. Though reported in other Asteraceae species, this is the first documented case in C. officinalis under Eastern India’s agro-climatic conditions. This report highlights a novel floral variation and its significance with potential implications for breeding, seed production, and ornamental traits.