Herbarium JCB

Celosia argentea L.

Family : AMARANTHACEAE
(AMARANTH FAMILY)
Family (as per The Plant List) : Amaranthaceae
Species : Celosia argentea
Species Name (as per The Plant List) : Celosia argentea L.
Common name : Silverspiked Cock's Comb
Vernacular name : Safed Murgha, Sarwari (Hin.); Anney soppu (Kan.); Makilikkeerai, Pannaipoo, Pannaikkerai (Tam.); Gurugu aku (Tel.); Lobanga, Sirali (Ori.); Pattura (San.)
Key identification features : A tall (up to 1 m.) annual herb. Stem is grooved and tinged with pink. Leaves are simple, alternate and elongated. Flowers are tiny and crowded in terminal cone-shaped spikate inflorescence. Floral parts are dry, paper-like and silvery.
Habit : Herb
Flower, Fruit : August-January
Comments : On hills and arable lands, as a weed of cultivation. More conspicous when it is flowering after the harvest. Leaves are edible.
Conservation Status : Not Evaluated (NE)
Distribution Locality : Throughout Eastern Ghats
World Distribution : Cosmopolitan, originating in Africa
Literature : J.L.Ellis, 1990- Flora of Nallamalais Vol. 2 ; R. S. Rao et al., 1986 - Flora of West Godavari District ; R. S. Rao and S. H. Sreeramulu, 1986 - Flora of Srikakulam District; H. O. Saxena and M. Brahmam, 1989 - The Flora of Similipal, Orissa; N.P.Singh, 1988. Flora of Eastern Karnataka; H.O. Saxena & M. Brahmam, 1995- Flora of Orissa Vol. 3; Matthew, K.M., The Flora of Tamil Nadu Carnatic, Vol.3 (2). Diocesan Press, Madras. 1983.
Citation : Sankara Rao, K., Arun Singh R., Deepak Kumar, Raja K Swamy and Navendu Page (2016). Digital Flora of Eastern Ghats. http://easternghats.ces.iisc.ernet.in/plants.php?name=Celosia argentea. Downloaded on 7 June 2025.