About Cosmos parviflorus (Jacq.) Pers.
Cosmos parviflorus is an annual herbaceous flowering plant that typically reaches heights between 30 and 90 cm (12 and 35 inches). Its opposite leaves attach to petioles roughly 0.5 cm long, and are deeply divided into narrow linear segments. The ray florets may be white, pink, or violet, and these colors can sometimes appear mixed within the same population. The plant produces barbed achenes, which become lodged in animal fur or human clothing. This structure allows achenes to be transported over long distances. Cosmos parviflorus typically flowers from July to October. Cosmos parviflorus is native to Mexico, ranging from Chihuahua to Oaxaca, and to parts of the United States: Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado. Specimens of the species have also been collected in Missouri, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, and Rhode Island, where the species is not considered native. This species grows on open or forested slopes and in canyons, at elevations between 100 and 3000 meters above sea level. It is also a common weed found in agricultural fields.
