470 The Ohio Naturalist. [Vol. XV, No. 5, 



The usual leaf type of the species is the uniform green, showing 

 no markings whatever except occasionally some red on the veins 

 beneath. (Fig. 1 a). This form is the common t^-pe, according 

 to the observation of the writer, from Ohio to Kansas. 



Several years ago a neighbor was showing his garden and 

 casually made a remark about the abundance of weeds. An 

 Amaranthus retroflexus was present which had large, red, oval or 

 ovate spots of anthocyan on the leaf blades. The spot was more 

 prominent on some plants than on others but was of striking 

 appearance in all of them (Fig. 1 b). Some of these plants were 

 dug up and transferred to flower beds on the university campus. 

 In the summer the spots disappeared so that it was difficult to 

 identify the plants in September. However, in the spring great 

 numbers of seedlings appeared with the characteristic leaf marking 

 and they have been growing each year since. Other plants of 

 similar nature were also observed in a corn field near Columbus. 

 This form was looked for in various parts of Kansas but no speci- 

 mens were found. 



In Clay County, Kansas, a different type of leaf marking was 

 observed on numerous plants growing together with the ordinary 

 green type. This variety had a silvery, curved band a little 

 beyond the middle, the curve being toward the tip somewhat 

 similar to the silvery spots seen on the red and white clovers 

 (Fig. 1 c). This silvery white patch is very persistent and ap- 

 pears on all of the leaves up to the inflorescence. No such plants 

 have been observed at Columbus and none were found by the 

 writer at Topeka, Kansas. Some seed was brought from the 

 Kansas plants and produced the characteristic markings in a 

 garden in Columbus. 



The fourth striking pattern was also first observed on a farm 

 near Morgan ville, Kansas. This type had the silvery curved 

 band and a red spot on each side of it. (Fig. 1 d). Only three 

 such plants were seen during a whole summer altho diligent search 

 was made for others in the surrounding country. However, last 

 summer this variety was found to be very common along the 

 streets of Manhattan, Kansas, about forty-five miles from Morgan- 

 ville. This peculiar fomi appears as tho it might be a combina- 

 tion of "b" and "c". But as stated the red spot fomi was not 

 observed in Kansas. 



What is the significance of such patterns? It will be observed 

 that the markings have no fundamental relation to the structure 

 of the leaf. A utilitarian explanation would be out of the question. 

 No hybridization is apparent and no related species are known 

 in these regions which could represent possible parents. These 

 patterns have been found to be hereditary and constant for several 

 generations. Whether they are Mendelian is not known, no 

 crossings having been attempted, as the flowers are small and 



