Irbsinb. CVIII. AMARANTHACEiE. 471 



clusters.— A common garden weed, 1— 2f high, simple or branched. Leaves 

 entire, varying from oval to obovate, emarginate, with a mucronate point, 

 tapering to a petiole which is nearly as long a.s the blade, those upon the 

 branches very small. Flowers inconspicuous, pale green, accompanied with 

 numerous, setaceous-pointed bracts. July. ^ 



2. A. Blitum. Lov Aviaranth. 



St. diftiisely branched and spreading; Ivs. ovate, long-netiolate, obtuse or 

 abruptly decurrenl at base, entire, lower ones retuse, upper obtuse or acute ; fls. 

 in short, axillary, spicate clusters, shorter than the petioles.— A weed naturalized 

 in waste places. Stem mostly prostrate and spreading. Leaves as long as the 

 petioles, |— i as wide. ^ 



3. A. OLERACEUs. Pot Amaranth. 



Lis. rugose, oblong, very obtuse, emarginate; diwiers axillary, branchmg; 

 fls. sometimes pentandrous.— Fields and waste places, Mass. to Penn. Stem 

 18—24' high. July. 



* * Flmoers pentandrous. 



4. A. HYBRiDUs. Hijhrid Amaranth. 



S'^ furrowed, erect ; Ivs. ovate-lanceolate; roc. pentandrous, decompound 

 crowded erect.— A common weed in waste and cultivated grounds, N. Eng. to 

 Miss. Stem 3f high, or more, leaves alternate, long-stalked, mostly entire, ob- 

 tuse, emarginate, mucronate, the lowest ones retuse. Flowers minute, in large, 

 green, oblong spikes becoming at length a dull red, axillary and terminal. 



5. A. PUMiLUs. Nutt. Dwarf Amaranth. 



Lvs. ovate, obtuse, smooth and fleshy, often retuse ; dusters axillary ; /s. 

 pentandrous ; cal. 5-leaved, concave.— Sandy sea shores, N. Y. Stem 8—12' 

 high, often decumbent. Flowers green, obscure. 



G. A. RETROFLEXUS. 



Lvs. ovate, undulate ; branches downy ; rat. pentandrous, triply compound, 

 compact, erect.— Waste grounds, among rubbish, N.Y.toVa. Stem 2f high. Aug. 



7. A. sPiNosus. Spiny Amaranth. 



St. glabrous, much branched; lis. ovate-lanceolate, with two stipular 

 spines at base of the petioles ; fls. in compound, terminal and axillary spikes.— 

 In cultivated grounds and roadsides. Middle States. A vile weed, 2f or more 

 high, readily known by its stipular spines. Aug. ^ 



8. A. HYPOCHONDRiACUs. Prince's Feather. 



Lvs. oblong, lanceolate, mucronate ; rac. pentandrous, compound, com- 

 pact, erect.— This species is native in the Middle States, and cultivated otten as 

 a garden annual. The whole plant is dark red, 3— 4f high, with long, plume- 

 like clusters, f 



9. A. MELANCHOLicus. Lovc-Ues-bleeding.—Lvs. ovate-lanceolate, colored; 

 rac. axillary, peduncled, roundish.—® From India. The whole plant purple, 

 18' high, t Several other species are rarely cultivated. 



2. IRESINE. 



Gr. eipsaicjvr]. an olive branch bound with tufts of wool, borne by suppliants; from the resemblance. 



Flowers d 9 — S" Calyx deeply 5 — 7-parted, subtended by 2 bracts ; 

 scales or nectaries (petals?) 5 or 7. 9 Stigmas 2, sessile ; capsule at 

 length tomentose, many-seeded. — Mostly "A- Lis. opposite, entire, 

 Fls. paniculate, axillary and terminal. 



I. CELOSIOlDES. 



St. erect, furrowed, paniculate above ; lvs. scabrous, punctate, lower ob- 

 long, acuminate, upper ovate-lonceolate ; panicle compound, large, rather dense, 

 —A tall handsome annual, 3 — If high, on river banks, Ohio, near Cincinnati, 

 &.C. Leaves tapering to the base into a winged petiole, 3 — 0' by 2 — 4'. Pani- 

 cle of whitish flowers large, with opposite branches, branchlets and pedicels, 

 nearly or quite leafless, Sept. Oct. 

 40* 



