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The Chocolate Cosmos (Cosmos atrosanguineus) is a herbaceous perennial in the family Asteraceae (daisy family), native to Mexico, where it is believed to be extinct in the wild. It is widely cultivated for its extraordinary deep burgundy to near-black daisy-like flower heads, which emit a distinctive vanilla-chocolate fragrance — particularly in warm weather — making it a popular and unusual ornamental plant. The genus Cosmos comprises about 40 species of flowering plants with showy composite flower heads and feathery or pinnately divided leaves. Cosmos atrosanguineus grows from tuberous roots, reaching 40–60 centimetres in height, and flowers from summer to autumn in temperate gardens. The species has not been found reproducing sexually in cultivation — all cultivated plants are believed to be sterile clones propagated vegetatively from a single introduction — raising questions about long-term genetic diversity. Despite its presumed extinction in Mexico, the species survives in cultivation worldwide, though this does not satisfy botanical criteria for in situ conservation. The IUCN lists it as Not Evaluated under current assessment protocols. The chocolate cosmos serves as an important reminder of the value of botanical gardens and horticultural collections for preserving species that have vanished from their native ranges due to agricultural conversion and other habitat pressures.