Cosmos

Annual or perennial herbs or shrubs. Leaves opposite, pinnatisect or simple. Capitula terminal, solitary or arranged in few-headed terminal or axillary cymes. Phyllaries in 2 series; outer leafy, inner usually scarious. Receptacular scales present. Ray florets neuter; disk florets many.Rays (in ours) sulphur-yellow, orange, red, pink or white . Achenes fusiform, typically attenuate into a beak. Pappus 0 or of backwardly-barbed bristles.