Asteraceae
Cosmos

Cosmos sulphureus Cav.

First published in Icon. 1: 56 (1791)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Mexico to Central America. It is an annual and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome. It is used as a medicine, has environmental uses and for food.

Descriptions

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular
cadillo, correo
[UNAL]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Compositae, H. Beentje, C. Jeffrey & D.J.N. Hind. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2005

Morphology General Habit
Annual herb 0.3–1.2 m high; stem 4-gonous, pubescent to glabrous.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves ovate in outline, deeply dissected, 5–15 cm long and 4–8 cm wide, the segments 2–5 mm wide, glabrous; petiole absent or to 3 cm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Capitulum
Capitula solitary and terminal; peduncle 2–22 cm long; involucre with phyllaries 5–12 mm long; paleae 9–10 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Ray florets 7–10, rich orange or sulphur yellow, 18–30 mm long; disc florets orange-yellow, 7–9 mm long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Achenes blackish, 16–28 mm long, the beak 6–9 mm long; pappus of 2(–3) retrorsely barbed aristae 4–7 mm long.
Figures
Fig. 173 (page 809).
Habitat
oadsides, waste ground; 0–1650 m
Distribution
K3 K5 K7 T6 T7 T8 U4 originally from Mexico but a widespread weed in tropical Africa
[FTEA]

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds Protein Content

18.60% Entire seed/nut. Moisture content not stated (Barclay & Earle, 1974)

[SID]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 540–540 m a.s.l. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Chocó, Valle del Cauca.
Habit
Herb.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, artificial - terrestrial.
[UPFC]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Adventicia en Colombia; Alt. 540 m.; Andes.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. & Hind, D. J. N. (Eds). (2019). Flora of Iraq, Volume 6: Compositae.Kew Publishing

Morphology General Habit
Annual to 2 m, glabrous or sparsely pilose to hispid
Morphology Leaves
Leaves petiolate; lamina lobed with margin sparsely ciliate, Capitula solitary; peduncles 10–20 cm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Involucre
Involucre 6–10 mm in diameter; phyllaries, oblong-lanceolate, erect
Ray
Ray limbs bright yellow to red-orange
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Achenes usually hispidulous; pappus absent, or of 2 or 3 widely divergent awns.
Distribution
A popular garden ornamental, native to Mexico, cultivated throughout Iraq;
Phenology
flowering Feb., Aug.-Nov.
[FIQ]

Uses

Use Environmental
Environmental uses.
Use Food
Used for food.
Use Materials
Used as material.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
[UPFC]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Iraq

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Seed Information Database

    • Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. (2019) Seed Information Database (SID). Version 7.1. Available from: http://data.kew.org/sid/ (September 2019)
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • World Checklist of Vascular plants (WCVP)

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0