Flower Color: White, rose or pinkish; attractive, flower heads with both ray and diskflorets, outer raypetals usually with 3 notched; the fruit is a cypsela.
Flowering Season: June or July through October
Elevation: 4,000 to 9,000 feet (1,219-2,743 m)
Habitat Preferences: Open areas in pine communities, also on slopes, hillsides and canyons and disturbed areas.
Recorded Range: In the United States, Southwestern Cosmos is a southwestern native in AZ, CO, NM and TX. It is also reported, apparently as an introduced species in MA, MD, ME, MO, RI.
It also in native to Baja California and northern and central Mexico.
In the Southwestern part of the United States it is found mostly in New Mexico and Arizona.
North America species range map for Cosmos parviflorus:
North American range map courtesy of Virginia Tech, Dept. of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation
Click image for full size map
U.S. Weed Information: Unknown
Invasive/Noxious Weed Information: Unknown
Wetland Indicator: In North America Cosmos parviflorus has the following wetland designations:
Arid West, FACU;
Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, FAC;
Great Plains, FAC;
Midwest, FACU;
Northcentral & Northeast, FACU;
Western Mountains, Valleys, and Coast, FACU;
FACU = Facultative Upland, usually occur in non-wetlands, but may occur in wetlands
FAC = Facultative Hydrophyte, Occur in wetlands and non-wetlands
Threatened/Endangered Information: Unknown
Genus Information: In North America there are 4 species and 4 accepted taxa overall for Cosmos. In North America 2 of the 4 species are native and 2 species are listed as invasive. Worldwide, The Plant List includes 42 accepted species names and a further 59 scientific names of infraspecific rank for the synonym genus Cosmos.
In the Southwestern United States: Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas each have 2 species of Cosmos, Nevada has 0 species and Utah has 1 species. The 2 species include the nativeCosmos parviflorus, and 1 invasive species Garden Cosmos, Cosmos bipinnatus. All data approximate and subject to revision.
Comments: Southwestern Cosmos is a native species in the southwest United States that has the center of its population in New Mexico. It is found in higher elevations in Arizona where it does well with ample summer rainfall although it is never profuse or observed in large numbers.
A similar landscape cultivated species, the Garden Cosmos, Cosmos bipinnatus, is native to Mexico and is more robust with larger flowers in pink, purple or white.
Importance to Wildlife, Birds and Livestock
Cosmos parviflorus flowers are visited regularly by hummingbirds, nectar-feeding bats and small mammals in search of nectar. Southwestern Cosmos is grazed by livestock.
Special Value to Native Bees, Butterflies and Insects
Cosmos parviflorus is recognized as having special value to Native bees. Their flowers and forage my also be visited by butterflies and other small insects.
Click here to read about The Xerces Society's Pollinator Conservation Program or visit The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation at xerces.com.
Etymology:
The genus Cosmos (Cos'mos:) from the Greek kosmos, “ornament, decoration”.
The species epithet “parviflorus” (parviflor'a/parviflor'um/parviflor'us:) is from the Greek words parvus, meaning, “small,” and flora, meaning, “flower,” thus “small-flowered”.
Ethnobotany
Cosmos parviflorus was used by southwestern United States indigenous peoples.
Navajo, Ramah Drug, Ceremonial Medicine, Cold infusion of dried leaves used as ceremonial chant lotion plant parts, use.
See complete listing of ethno-botanical uses at Native American Ethnobotany, University of Michigan, Dearborn.
