caudatus

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Cockscomb
• Silver Cockscomb
• Quail Grass
• Wheat Celosia
• silver cock's comb

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Lophoxera comosa
• Celosia argentea f. cristata
• Celosia argentea var. cristata
• Chamissoa stricta
• Chamissoa margaritacea
• Celosia cristata var. castrensis
• Celosia argentea var. plumosa
• Celosia cristata var. humilis
• Celosia argentea var. vera
• Amaranthus huttonii
• Celosia margaritacea
• Celosia japonica
• Celosia marylandica
• Celosia pallida
• Celosia plumosa
• Celosia stricta
• Celosia coccinea
• Celosia castrensis
• Celosia cristata
• Lophoxera racemosa
• Celosia huttonii
• Celosia japonica
• Celosia aurea
• Celosia argentea var. linearis
• Celosia debilis
• Celosia comosa
• Celosia splendens
• Celosia swinhoei
• Celosia purpurea
• Celosia pyramidalis
• Celosia argentea var. margaritacea

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Caryophyllales, it is classified under the family Amaranthaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic placement is within the genus Celosia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific range across several regions in Europe. In Middle Europe, it can be found inhabiting the landscapes of Austria and Germany. It is also documented within the territories of Czechia and Slovakia. Moving toward Southeastern Europe, its distribution extends into the country of Albania. Finally, the plant is also known to grow within the borders of Bulgaria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Celosia argentea is characterized by its significant adaptability to various altitudinal gradients, ranging from sea level up to a maximum elevation of 2000 m AMSL, with a mean elevational range centered around 1100 m AMSL. This species demonstrates a high degree of resilience in anthropized environments, primarily colonizing "Área Antrópica," which indicates its success in habitats significantly modified or created by human activity, such as disturbed soils, agricultural edges, and urban spaces.

Elevational range max:

2000 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

1100 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Genetics

The genetics of Celosia argentea are characterized by a specific chromosomal configuration that defines its reproductive and evolutionary framework. The species possesses a chromosome number of 72, providing a complex genomic structure that supports its diverse morphological variations. Furthermore, the plant functions at a diploid ploidy level, indicated by a ploidy value of 2, which establishes the fundamental genetic baseline for its cellular division and inheritance patterns.

Chromosome number :

72

Ploidy :

2

Life history

The life history of Celosia argentea is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire biological development—from germination and vegetative growth to flowering and seed production—within a single growing season. Functionally, it is classified as a therophyte, a life form defined by its strategy of surviving unfavorable environmental conditions through the production of seeds, which remain dormant until the return of favorable conditions. As a therophyte, the plant avoids the stress of seasonal changes by completing its life cycle rapidly and relying on its seed bank for persistence, rather than maintaining perennial above-ground structures.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Celosia argentea is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb, typically functioning as a self-supporting, independent organism rather than a parasite or epiphyte. It is a terrestrial plant with an erect shoot orientation, maintaining a self-supporting structure without the need for climbing or liana-like habits. The plant's stature varies depending on environmental conditions, with a minimum height of 0.4 m, a mean height of 0.7 m, and a maximum potential height reaching up to 2 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

2 m

Plant height mean:

0.7 m

Plant height min:

0.4 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Celosia argentea is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation process and metabolic efficiency. Morphologically, the leaves exhibit a significant range in dimensions, with a minimum leaf length of 8 cm extending up to a maximum of 15 cm, while the leaf width varies from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 6 cm. The plant does not exhibit succulence, maintaining a standard non-succulent tissue structure for water storage, and it lacks the physiological capability to act as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on soil nutrients for its nitrogen requirements.

Leaf length max:

15 cm

Leaf length min:

8 cm

Leaf width max:

6 cm

Leaf width min:

1 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Succulence :

no

Reproduction

The reproduction of Celosia argentea is characterized by a flowering period that is highly variable, typically spanning from December through September. During this cycle, the plant produces pink flowers that are primarily serviced by an insect pollination syndrome. Following pollination, the plant develops fruit in the form of a utricle, which is an indehiscent type. These fruits are relatively small, with a mean length of 0.325 cm, ranging from a minimum of 0.3 cm to a maximum of 0.4 cm. Each fruit contains a modest number of seeds, typically ranging between 1 and 10 seeds per fruit. The seeds themselves are minute, possessing a maximum length and width of 1.5 mm. In terms of mass, the seeds are extremely light, with a mean seed mass of approximately 0.000671111 g, a minimum of 0.0002 g, and a maximum of 0.001 g. Dispersal is achieved through an anemochorous syndrome, meaning the seeds are primarily dispersed by the wind.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flower colour :

pink

Flowering time :

Dec

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit length max:

0.4 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.325 cm

Fruit length min:

0.3 cm

Fruit type :

utricle

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Seed length max:

1.5 mm

Seed mass max:

0.001 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000671111 g

Seed mass min:

2e-04 g

Seed width max:

1.5 mm

Seeds_per_fruit :

1-10

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Celosia argentea has 5 reported plant parts identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include seed, flower, leaf, root, stem.

Seed

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS
3. Journal of natural products
4. Biological & pharmaceutical bulletin
5. The Journal of organic chemistry

Flower

1. BMC complementary medicine and therapies
2. Pakistan journal of biological sciences : PJBS

Leaf

1. Fitoterapia
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

Root

1. Fitoterapia

Stem

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Chemicals

Celosia argentea has 44 reported phytochemicals identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Celogentin C, Flavonoids, Moroidin, 9,12-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester, ARSENIC.

Celogentin C

1. Journal of the American Chemical Society
2. The Journal of organic chemistry

Flavonoids

1. Heliyon
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

Moroidin

1. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters
2. The Journal of organic chemistry

9,12-octadecadienoic acid methyl ester

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

ARSENIC

1. Dr. Duke

Alcohols

1. Chemistry & biodiversity

Amaranthin

1. Dr. Duke

Betanin

1. Dr. Duke

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke

COPPER

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Celosia argentea has 204 reported activities identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antibacterial, Antimitotic, Antinociceptive, Antioxidant, ACE-Inhibitor.

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Fitoterapia

Antimitotic

1. Dr. Duke
2. The Journal of organic chemistry

Antinociceptive

1. Dr. Duke
2. BMC complementary and alternative medicine

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Current cardiology reviews

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelopathic

1. Dr. Duke

Analgesic

1. Dr. Duke

Angiotensin-Receptor-Blocker

1. Dr. Duke

Anorexic

1. Dr. Duke

AntiBPH

1. Dr. Duke

Medicinal Uses

Celosia argentea has 7 reported medicinal uses identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include cancer, eye diseases, eye disorders, fever, immunosuppression.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations