It was first described and figured in 1797, by Cavanilles, who called it Cosmos, from the Greek word Kosmos, beautiful ; but this name was afterwards altered by Willdenow to Cosmea, as being more consistent with the rules of botanical nomenclature.

Under this heading M. E. A. Martel, the distinguished speleologist or cave-explorer of Europe, whose researches have recently added considerably to our knowledge of the Adelsberg grotto, furnishes to La Nature an interesting account of the episode in the Lueg-Loch or Lur-Loch, near the Styrian capital, which so nearly resulted fatally to the seven members of the Höhlenforscher—Fasching, Fölzmann, Zweyer, Oswald, Maier, Kurz and Haidt—who, on the 28th of April, attempted the exploration of the lost passage of the Semriach.

The sun is surmounted on either side by two white lions, respectant and sitting on an orange scroll inscribed UTMOST OF OUR ABILITY in gold letters.

The rim of a small-sized lens along with zonule is clearly seen through the fully dilated pupil.