Home | > | List of families | > | Asteraceae | > | Cosmos | > | sulphureus |
Synonyms: |
Bidens sulphurea (Cav.) Sch. Bip. |
Common names: | Yellow cosmos (English) |
Frequency: | Local |
Status: | Introduced |
Description: |
Annual herb to c.1.2 m with 4-angled sparsely hispid stems. Leaves: lamina ovate in outline, dissected, with ultimate segments 2-4 mm wide, narrowly oblong and apiculate, glabrous. Capitula c.1.5 cm in diameter (excluding rays). Phyllaries: outer green, acuminate; inner with membranous margins. Receptacular scales c.9 mm. Rays up to 3 cm, c.10, bright orange; apex 3-dentate. Disk florets orange-yellow. Achenes c. 20 mm (including a scabrid beak c.7 mm but excluding the pappus), blackish. Pappus of 2 horizontally spreading setae with retrorsely directed barbs. |
Notes: | Probably originally cultivated for ornament and now an occasional escape. Like a yellow or orange-flowered Cosmos in appearance and occurring in similar habitats to that species, but much less common. |
Derivation of specific name: | sulphureus: pale yellow, sulphur-yellow (not the colour of this species) |
Habitat: | Disturbed places; most often seen on roadside verges |
Altitude range: (metres) | |
Flowering time: | Mar - Apr |
Worldwide distribution: | Mexico |
Zimbabwe distribution: | N,C,E |
Growth form(s): | |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | spilosoma lineata (Larval foodplant) |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Images last updated: | Monday 19 March 2007 |
Literature: |
Beentje, H.J. & Ghazanfar, S.A. (eds.) (2005). Compositae (Part 3) Flora of Tropical East Africa Pages 808 - 810. (Includes a picture). Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 146. Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 23. as Bidens suphureus Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 29. Wild, H. (1967). The Compositae of the Flora Zambesiaca area. 1. Heliantheae. Kirkia 6(1) Pages 33 - 34. as Bidens sulphurea |
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