Cosmos sulphureus Cav.

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Photo: Mark Hyde
By Harare to Mutoko Rd

Photo: Bart Wursten
Roadside near Marondera

Photo: Mark Hyde
North of Shamva on A13 to Madziva Mine

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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

Other sources of information about Cosmos sulphureus:

Our websites:

Flora of Zambia: Cosmos sulphureus
Flora of Zimbabwe: cultivated Cosmos sulphureus

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Cosmos sulphureus
African Plant Database: Cosmos sulphureus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Cosmos sulphureus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Cosmos sulphureus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Cosmos sulphureus
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Cosmos sulphureus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Cosmos sulphureus
JSTOR Plant Science: Cosmos sulphureus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Cosmos sulphureus
Plants of the World Online: Cosmos sulphureus
Tropicos: Cosmos sulphureus
Wikipedia: Cosmos sulphureus