Celosia argentea

Copyright: Flora of North America Association

Herbs, annual. Stems erect, to 1 m, glabrous. Leaves: petiole 1–3 cm; blade unlobed, ovate, lanceolate, or nearly linear, 8–15 × 1–6 cm, base tapering, apex long-acuminate. Inflorescences dense cylindric or ovoid spikes, units 13–20 mm diam. Flowers: tepals silvery white or pinkish, 3-veined, 6–8 mm, scarious, translucent; style elongate, 4 mm, indurate and exserted at maturity; stigmas 3. Utricles 4 mm. Seeds 3–8, 1.5 mm diam., smooth, shiny. 2n = 72.

Phenology: Flowering summer.
Habitat: Waste places, weedy areas
Elevation: 0-1400 m

Introduced; Ala., Fla., Ind., Ky., La., Md., N.J., N.C., Pa., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Utah, W.Va., West Indies, South America, native to Asia (India).

Discussion

Celosia argentea is locally escaped from cultivation, and perhaps originally native to India.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa