Galapagos Species Database
The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.
Celosia argentea
Herbs, annual. Stems erect, to 1 m, glabrous. Leaves: petiole 1-3 cm; blade unlobed, ovate, lanceolate, or nearly linear, 8-15 × 1-6 cm, base tapering, apex long-acuminate. Flowers: tepals silvery white or pinkish, 3-veined, 6-8 mm, scarious, translucent; style elongate, 4 mm, indurate and exserted at maturity; stigmas 3. Utricles 4 mm. Seeds 3-8, 1.5 mm diam., smooth, shiny. 2n = 72. (WFO, 2022)
It is used as animal food, a poison and a medicine, has environmental uses and social uses and for food.
Domain
Eukaryota
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida (= Dicotyledoneae)
Order
Caryophyllales
Family
Amaranthaceae
Genus
Celosia
Species
argentea
Taxon category: Accepted
Syn.: Celosia argentea var. cristata (L.) Kuntze; Syn.: Celosia cristata L. Celosia argentea var. argentea.
Origin: Introduced - established
Year of first record: 1983
Mode of introduction: Intentional
Introduction Pathway: Intentional
Subpathway: Agriculture/Horticulture
Introduced status: Human dependent
Invasive status: Unlikely to become invasive
Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.
Distribution: Its native range is Tropical Africa.
You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.
This page should be cited as follows:
"Galapagos Species Database, Celosia argentea", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=11193. Accessed 3 April 2026.