SILVER cockscomb is a beautiful but troublesome weed. If left unchecked, it can spread quickly and suppress the growth of other crops, affecting their yield. It also attracts insects, caterpillars, worms and moths that can harm crops. In Karnataka's Chamarajanagara district, where silver cockscomb is referred to as anne soppu, farmers of the Soliga tribe say controlling the weed can cost up to R2,000 per acre (0.4 hectare) per year. Yet they do not consider silver cockscomb a weed. For the Soligas, known for their traditional knowledge of ecology, silver cockscomb is a nutritious leafy green vegetable that grows well even on fallow land and in drought-like conditions.