Kochia CHENOPODIACEAE-AMARANTHACEAE Amaranthus 



solitary; perianth 5-lobed, expanding to wings in fr.; stamens 5: fr. a utricle. About 

 40 species, mostly of the Old World; one in China. (After W.D.J. Koch, a German 

 botanist, 1771-1849.) 

 1. Kochia scoparia Schrad. Summer Cypress VfeM (Ti Fu; Earth Skin) (B.M. 353). 



Bushy herb, to lm.; fls. VIII-X; herbage purple-red in the autumn. Eurasia; 



locally in An., Ku. Weed, sometimes grown as ornament. Fig. 79. 



4. Suaeda Forsk. Sea Blite ifUM (Hsien P'eng Shu) 



Fleshy plants of saline situations: lvs. terete and fleshy, linear: fls. sessile in 



the axils of lfy. bracts; perianth 5-parted, enclosing the utricle, often crested; 



stamens 5. About 40 species, in salt marshes and alkali steppes throughout the 



world; 7 in China. (An Arabic name.) 



1. Suaeda maritima (L.) Dumort. tlH (Hsien P'eng) (G.M. 600). Diffuse herb, to 



6dm. Eurasia, North Africa, North America; locally in Ku. Salt flats. 



5. Spinacia Linn. Spinach HigM (Po Ling Shu) 



Erect herbs with triangular or hastate lvs.: dioecious: pistillate fls. andfrs. 

 enclosed by a pair of perianth-like bracts; stigmas 4 or 5. 3 or 4 species, in south- 

 western Asia; one cultivated in China. (Latin: spina, on account of the spiny fr.) 

 1. Spinacia oleracea Linn. Prickly-seeded Spinach ^S.M (Po Ts'ai) (B.M. 354). 



Erect herb, to lm.; fls. greenish; used as a potherb. Southwestern Asia; locally 



in An., Ki., Ku. Grown for the leaves. Fig. 80. 



51. AMARANTHACEAE Amaranth Family %pt (Hsien K'o) 



Mostly herbs (ours), with simple lvs.: fls. small, but infls. sometimes showy; fl. 

 bracts and perianth scarious, sometimes colored; perianth segments in 1 series; 

 stamens 1-5: fr. commonly a circumscissile utricle. About 40 genera with 500 

 species, widely distributed, especially in the warmer regions of the world; about 10 

 genera and over 20 species in China. 



Key to the Genera 



A. Lvs. alternate : anthers 2-celled. 



Fr. 1 -seeded: filaments distinct; fls. monoecious or polygamous.. 1. Amaranthus 

 Fr. 2- or more-seeded : filaments united at the base; fls. perfect.. . 2. Celosia 

 AA. Lvs. opposite. 



Fls. deflexed at maturity, in elongated spikes; bracts and 



perianth segments spiny; anthers 2-celled 3. Achyranthes 



Fls. not deflexed, in head-like clusters; bracts and perianth 

 segments not spiny; anthers 1-celled. 

 Prostrate wild or roadside plants : fls. in sessile clusters up to 



1 cm. across; bracts white; stigma capitate A. Alternanthera 



Erect garden plant : fls. in peduncled heads 1.5-2 cm. in diam. ; 



bracts often tinged pink; stigma bifid 5. Gomphre?ia 



1. Amaranthus Linn. Amaranth ~%M (Hsien Shu) 

 Coarse annuals with alternate entire lvs.: fls. monoecious or polygamous, in dense 

 green or reddish spikes or panicles, 3-bracteate: perianth glabrous: filaments distinct: 

 fr. a 1-seeded utricle. About 50 species, widely distributed; 10 in China, including 

 field weeds and some cultivated for greens. (Greek: amarantos, unfading, because 

 the perianth and fl. bracts do not wither or fade.) 



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