Silver cockscomb - Celosia argentea var. spicata

Common Name :	Silver Cockscomb, Wheat Celosia.
Botanical Name :	Celosia argentea var. spicata
Synonym :	Celosia spicata
Family :	Amaranthaceae
Photo Taken :	Bangladesh

This is an ornamental flowering plant but grows in wild (or as a weed) in Bangladesh. Botanical name of the plant is Celosia argentea var. spicata. It has several common names such as Silver Cockscomb, Wheat Celosia, etc. It belongs to the plant family Amaranthaceae, and native to tropical region. This plant is similar to the other Cockscomb flowers.

Silver cockscomb (Celosia argentea var. spicata) is an annual soft herbaceous plant. Lens like leafs are slim and slightly longer (2-4 inches long) with visible veins. Leafs are alternately arranged. A plant can grow up to 3 feet in height easily.

Silver cockscomb (Celosia argentea var. spicata) flowers are beautiful which blooms in a cluster. Tiny flowers from the cluster is having five spiky petals (shape of the flower is a star). Flower can be found in dull white color (hence named Silver cockscomb), purple, dull white with touch of purple, etc. Shape of the flower is cylindrical with narrow at top. A cluster of flower brings numerous tiny seeds.

A wasp in Celosia argentea var. spicata flower.

I've seen this plant growing wildly beside a water stream in hilly area of Bangladesh. Later also found the plant growing with other crops (i.e. paddy in hilly area). It can happen that the crop seeds got contaminated with Silver cockscomb (Celosia argentea var. spicata) and later spread. It is just a guess.

Celosia argentea var. spicata plant grows beside a water stream.

Celosia argentea var. spicata plant grows with paddy in mountain.

Celosia argentea var. spicata plant grows with paddy in mountain.

Photos of Silver cockscomb (Celosia argentea var. spicata) were taken from the following locations:
1. July 2011: Rangamati, Bangladesh.
2. August 2012: Bandarban, Bangladesh.


This article has written by Lonely Traveler,
for the blog http://icflora.blogspot.com/