Acnida 



AMARANTACE^ 



133 



erect, with short stalk. Utricle indehiscent. Embryo annular ; 

 cotyledons linear. 



Water Hemp. 



Species 3 or 4, natives of eastern X. America and West Indies. 



A. cuspidata Bert, ex Spreng. Sy.st. Hi. 903 (1826). A. 

 australis A. Gray in Am. Natural, x. 489 (1876). A. cannabina 

 Griseb. Fl. Br. W. hid. 60 (1859) (non L.). (Fig. 41.) 



Fig. 41. Acnida cuspidata Bert. 



A, Portion of plant. 



B, Male flower. 



, Ditto, with two perianth - segments 

 removed. 



D, Female flower with bract and bracteoles. 



E, Fruit indicating outline of seed. 



F, Seed cut lengthwise ; c, cotyledon ; 



r, radicle ; e, endosperm. 



Banks of Ferry River; marsh near Black River; Harris \ Fl. Jam. 

 9047, 97 GO. Florida, Trinidad. 



Stem 1-2 m. high, the lower part of the main stem very much swollen, 

 to 2*5 dm. br. Leaves lanceolate, 1-2 dm. 1. to 5 cm. br. Spikes panicu- 

 late, lax, drooping at the top. Male iierianth 2*5 mm. 1. Female flower, 

 stigmas generally three. Utricle 2 mm. 1., with 3 acute angles, glabrous, 

 scarcely exceeding the bracts. 



5. CYATHULA Lour. 



Herbs, sometimes shrubby at base. Leaves opposite, stalked, 

 entire. Flowers clustered, clusters spicate, perfect flowers 1-3 

 in each cluster, surrounded by others imperfect, reduced to 

 perianth-segments with rigid, hooked awns (glochidia). Perianth 



