1.
AMARÁNTHUS
[Tourn.] L. Sp. P. 989. 1753. (1: 1)
Annual branched erect or diffusely spreading glabrous or pubescent
herbs, most of the species weeds, with alternate, petioled pinnately
veined entire, undulate or crisped leaves and small monoecious
polygamous or dioecious green or purplish mostly 3-bracteolate flowers
in dense terminal spikes or axiallary clusters. Calyx of 2-5
distinct sepals. Stamens 2-5 ; anthers 2-celled, longitudinally
dehiscent. Styles or stigmas 2 or 3. Fruit an ovoid or
oblong utricle, circumscissile, bursting irregularly or indehiscent,
2-3 beaked by the persistent styles. Embryo annular.
[Greek, unfading flower, from the dry, unwithering bracts.]
About 50 species of wide
geographic distribution. Besides the following some 22 others
occur in the southern and western United States. Type species:
Amaranthus caudàtus L.
Utricle circumscissle, the top falling
away as a lid.
Flowers, at
least the upper, in dense terminal spikes.
Axils not
spine-bearing.
Sepals oblong
to lanceolate.
Spikes stout,
4"-7" thick
1. A. retroflexus.
Spikes
slender, 2" - 3" thick
2. A. hybridus.
Sepals
spatulate
3. A. Palmeri.
A pair of stout
spines in each axil.
4. A. spinosus.
Flowers all in
small axillary clusters, mostly shorter than the leaves.
Plant prostrate
; bracts oblong ; utricle smooth
5. A. blitoides.
Plant erect,
bushy-branched ; bracts subulate ; utricle wrinkled. 6. A. graecizans.
Utricle
indehiscent, menbranous, coriacous or fleshy.
Upper flowers
in terminal, more or less elongated spikes.
Sepals 5-clawed
; flowers dioeciuos ; southwester species. 7. A. Torreyi
Sepals 2 or 3, oblong or psatulate ; flowers monoecious or polygamous ;
in waste places.
Utricle
smooth, dry, scariuos.
8. A. lividus.
Utricle fleshy, 3-5 nerved.
9. A.
Deflexus.
Flowers all in
small axillary clusters shorter than the leaves.
Plant not
fleshy ; stem prostrate ; leaves crisped.
10. A. crispus
Sea-cost fleshy plant ; stem short, erect ; leaves not
crisped. 11. A. pumilus.
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