Irksine. CVIII. AMARANTHACEiE. 471 



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

 entire, var}'ing from oval to obovate, emarginate, with a mucronate point, 

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

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

 numerous, setaceous-pointed bracts. July. ^ 



2. A. Blitum. Loiv Amaranth. 



St. diffusely branched and spreading; Ivs. ovate, long-petiolate, obtuse or 

 abruptly decurrent 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, f — J as wide. § 



3. A. OLERACEUs. Pot Amaranth. 



Lis. rugose, oblong, very obtuse, emarginate; cZiisfers axillary, branching; 

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

 18—24' high. July. 



* * Flowers fentandrons. 



4. A. HYBRiDUS. Hyhrld Amaranth. 



St. furrowed, erect ; Ivs. ovate-lanceolate ; rac. 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 ; clusters axillary ; fls. 

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

 nigh, often decumbent. Flowers green, obscure. 



G. A. RETROFLEXUS. 



Lvs. ovate, undulate; branches Aovmy; rac. pentandrous, triply compound, 

 compact, erect. — Waste groimds, among rixbbish, N. Y.to Va. Stem2f high. Aug. 



7. A. spiNosus. Spiny Amaranth. 



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

 spines at base of the petioles ; fl.s. 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. HYPOCHONDRiACCs. Prince's Feather. 



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

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

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

 like clusters, f 



9. A. MELANCHOLicus. Love-Ues-bUeding . — Lvs. ovate-lanceolate, colored ; 

 rac. axillary, peduncled, roundish. — (j) From India. The whole plant purple, 

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



2. IRESINE. 



Gr. etp£(rto}vr). an olive branch hound with tufts of wool, borne by suppliants ; from the resemblance. 



Flowers c? 9 — c? Calyx deeply 5 — 7-parted, subtended by 2 bracts ; 

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

 length tomeutose, many-seeded. — Mostly %■ Lvs. opposite, entire, 

 Fls. paniculate, axillary and termiiial. 



I. CELOSIOlDES. 



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

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

 — A tall, handsome annual, 3 — 4f high, on river banks, Ohio, near Cincinnati, 

 &c. Leaves tapering to the base into a winged petiole, 3 — 6' by 2 — 4'. Pani- 

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

 nearly or quite leafless. Sept. Oct. 

 40* 



