Celosia argentea L.
Vernacular name: Cockscomb, Crested cockscomb; Hindi: Lal murga, Mayur-chuda; Marathi: Morashikha; Tamil: Koli-k-kontai
Species Name: Celosia argentea L.
Family: Amaranthaceae
Habit: Annual, erect, branched herb, commonly cultivated as an ornamental plant; related forms also occur as weeds of cultivation and wasteland.
Stem: Erect, green, branched, cylindrical to slightly angular and generally smooth or sparsely hairy.
Leaf: Leaves alternate, simple, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, entire, green, with distinct petioles.
Flowering: Mainly during the warmer and rainy seasons
Flowers: Small flowers are densely packed into terminal inflorescences. In the cockscomb form, the upper part of the inflorescence becomes greatly broadened, flattened, folded and crest-like, resembling a rooster’s comb; flowers may be red, crimson, orange, yellow or other ornamental colours.
Fruit: Small ovoid to subglobose capsule, about 3–4 mm, containing numerous seeds.
Uses:
- Ethnomedicinal practices uses different parts of the plant to help relieve stomach aches, treat eczema, skin sores, diarrhea and as antidote against snakebites.
- Dried ripe seeds are used in traditional Chinese medicines to improve eyesight, clear liver heat and treat ailments like bloodshot eyes and cataracts. (caution: don’t use with people with glaucoma as it dilates the pupils).
- Plant contain compounds like flavonoids, saponins and betalains that are responsible for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of plant.
- Flowers and seeds are haemostatic, parasiticide, astringent and ophthalmic and are used to treat leucorrhoea, dysentery, bloody stool, haemorrhoid and uterine bleeding.
- Roots are used to treat colic and gonorrhoea
- Bright flame-like red, pink or purple flower heads makes it a popular garden or container ornamental plant.
- Flowers are used in dried floral crafts and cut-flower arrangement due to long shelf life.
- Young leaves and shoots have mild flavor and consumed cooked as vegetable, soups and stews. Plant contains vitamin A and C, calcium, protein, iron, and phosphorus.
- Seeds can be processed to extract an edible oil.
