Celosia isertii C.C.Towns.

Species

Angiosperms > Caryophyllales > Amaranthaceae > Celosia

Characteristics

Perennial herb, often suffrutescent, varying considerably in habit from a lax creeping or decumbent plant to a scandent climber attaining 4 m. or probably more.. Stem and branches ridged or striate, glabrous or thinly to (not in East Africa) rather densely furnished with brownish multicellular hairs.. Leaves lanceolate-ovate to broadly or deltoid-ovate, shortly acuminate, glabrous or thinly furnished on the lower surface (especially along the veins) with multicellular hairs, occasionally a few hairs present on the upper surface also; lamina of main stem leaves 3.5–10 × 2.5–5 cm., shortly cuneate to truncate or subcordate at the base, rapidly narrowed and ± decurrent into the slender, 1.5–4 cm. petiole; upper and branch leaves smaller, often narrower and more attenuate to the base.. Inflorescence of axillary and terminal condensed or branched thyrses, 1.5–8 cm. long and 0.8–2 cm. wide, the uppermost often clustered to form a lobed panicle, lateral clusters of flowers (condensed or unequally branched cymes) approximate to slightly separated, dense or laxer, up to ± 1.5 cm. long; peduncle up to ± 9 cm., but mostly shorter.. Inflorescence-axis often concealed amid the dense flowers, glabrous to variably multicellular hairy.. Bracts and bracteoles broadly deltoid-ovate, 2–3 mm., scarious, 1-nerved, glabrous or ± ciliate along the margins and dorsal surface of the nerve with multicellular hairs.. Perianth-segments elliptic-oblong, (3–)3.5–5 mm., obtuse to subacute, mucronate with the percurrent midrib, pale and membranous, usually with a narrow central dark vitta at least when dry, with 2–4 usually short and sometimes faint lateral nerves (sometimes reaching halfway or more) on each side of the midrib at the base.. Free portion of filaments longer than the sheath, sinuses rounded with no intermediate teeth.. Stigmas (2–)3(–4), reflexed, a little shorter than the ± 1 mm. style.. Ovary multiovulate (mostly ± 13–25).. Capsule globose, 2–4 mm., included.. Seeds black, shining, compressed, ± 1 mm., deeply furrowed and punctate, the concentric interrupted grooves more conspicuous towards the margins, the punctae towards the middle.
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Inflorescences white, axillary and terminal, densely or more rarely laxly thyrsoid, the upper usually more or less congested to become spiciform or lobed and subpaniculate; partial inflorescences condensed or with unequal branches, approximate or slightly separated occasionally more distant), up to c. 1.5 cm. long; inflorescence axis glabrous or with multicellular hairs, often concealed by the densely set flowers; peduncle up to 9 cm. long but generally shorter.
A straggling herb. It can be woody at the base. It grows 3 m tall. The stems and branches are hairy. The leaves are narrowly oval and hairy underneath especially along the veins. Leaves can be 3.5-10 cm long by 2.5-5 cm wide. The flower heads are white and in the axils of the leaves and at the top of the plant. The fruit is a capsule 2-4 mm long. The seeds are black and shiny. They are 1 mm long.
Leaves lanceolate-ovate to broadly or deltoid-ovate, acuminate, glabrous or with multicellular hairs below (especially along the nerves), or rarely also the superior surface; larger leaves 3.5–10 × 2.5–5 cm., shortly cuneate to truncate or subcordate at the base, attenuate along a slender petiole; superior and branch leaves smaller, often narrower and more attenuate at the base.
Tepals elliptic-oblong, (3) 3.5–5 mm. long, obtuse or subacute, whitish-membranous with (at least in the dry state) a darker central vitta; midrib shortly excurrent, subtended on each side at the base by one or two pairs of lateral nerves which are evanescent at or a little above the centre of the tepal.
Bracts and bracteoles 2–3 mm. long, broadly deltoid-ovate, membranous, glabrous or marginally ciliate, mucronate with the shortly excurrent midrib, which is furnished with multicellular hairs on its dorsal surface.
A weak-stemmed perennial herb, often woody below, variable in habit from lax and prostrate, supported by other plants or scrambling to 4 m. (or probably more).
Ovary with numerous ovules (usually c. 13–25); stigmas (2) 3 (4), more or less reflexed, slightly longer than the c. 1–1.5 mm. long style.
Seeds black, shiny, lenticular, c. 1 mm., sulcate-punctate with the marginal areolae longer, narrower and more concentric.
Stem and branches glabrous or thinly to rather densely furnished with brownish multicellular hairs.
Filaments with the free apices longer than the basal cup.
Capsule ovoid, 2–4 mm. long, not exceeding the tepals.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
Growth support climber
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) -
Mature height (meter) 3.0
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color -
Blooming months -
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway -

Environment

It is a tropical plant. It grows in secondary forests and near streams and in damp sites. In Zambia it grows between 1,500-1,800 m altitude.
Light -
Soil humidity -
Soil texture -
Soil acidity -
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 9-12

Usage

The leaves are cooked and eaten. They are also used in sauces and for flavouring.
Uses food gene source medicinal
Edible leaves
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Mode -
Germination duration (days) 10 - 15
Germination temperacture (C°) 21 - 23
Germination luminosity light
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Distribution

Celosia isertii world distribution map, present in Angola, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sudan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Togo, Tanzania, United Republic of, Uganda, and Zambia

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:59894-1
WFO ID wfo-0000593094
COL ID S4BR
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN)
Wikipedia (FR)

Synonyms

Celosia laxa var. pilosa Celosia isertii