Celosia nitida

Vahl

Symb. Bot. 2: 44. 1791.

Common names: West Indian cockscomb
Illustrated
Synonyms: Celosia texana Scheele
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 408. Mentioned on page 407.

Herbs or subshrubs, perennial, 0.3–2 m, glabrous; rootstock elongate, woody. Stems erect or clambering, branched from rootstock. Leaves: petiole 0.5–2 cm; blade unlobed, deltate, ovate, rhombic, to triangular-lanceolate, 3–7 × 1–4 cm, base abruptly narrowed, truncate, or oblique, apex acute to acuminate. Inflorescences lax panicles of few terminal or axillary spikes, units less than 10 mm diam. Flowers: tepals greenish, greenish white, or pinkish green, striate, drying to tan, ± equal, 3.5–7 mm, rather rigid; style 1 mm; stigmas 3. Utricles 4–5 mm. Seeds to 20, 0.8–1 mm diam., faintly reticulate or smooth.


Phenology: Flowering fall–winter.
Habitat: Coastal sand dunes, coppices, kitchen middens, hammocks, thickets, oak savannas, gravel slopes
Elevation: 0-800 m

Distribution

V4 801-distribution-map.gif

Fla., Tex., Mexico, West Indies, South America

Discussion

Celosia nitida is widespread in subtropical regions of the New World. In Florida, it occurs mostly in the Keys north to Dade, Lake, Lee, and Monroe counties; in Texas it is known from the south Texas plains, gulf prairies and marshes, and barely into the Edwards Plateau.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Celosia nitida"
acute;acuminate +
Kenneth R. Robertson +
oblique +, truncate +  and narrowed +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (7 cm70 mm <br />0.07 m <br />) +
rhombic +  and triangular-lanceolate +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
West Indian cockscomb +
Fla. +, Tex. +, Mexico +, West Indies +  and South America +
0-800 m +
peripheral +
hypogynous +
minute +  and small +
not +  and dehiscent +
Coastal sand dunes, coppices, kitchen middens, hammocks, thickets, oak savannas, gravel slopes +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
Flowering fall–winter. +
smooth +  and reticulate +
0.8mm;1mm +
0 +  and 20 +
flattened +
Illustrated +
clambering +  and erect +
subulate +  and capitate +
persistent +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (?) +
Celosia texana +
Celosia nitida +
species +
tan +, pinkish green +, greenish white +  and greenish +
distinct +
0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br />) +
circumscissile +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
membranaceous +
subshrub +  and herb +