Irksine. 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 as the blade, those upon the 

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

 numerous, setaceous-pointed bracts. July. ^ 



2. A. Blitum. Loio Amaranth. 



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

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

 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 — i as wide. ^ 



3. A. OLERACEUS. Pot Amaranth. 



Lvs. rugose, oblong, very obtuse, emarginate; cZws^ers axillary , branching ; 

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

 18—24' high. July. 



* * Flmoers pentandrous. 



4. A. HYBRiDUs, Hybrid Amaranth. 



St. furrowed, erect ; lvs. 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 ; Jls. 



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

 igh, often decumbent. Flowers green, obscure. 



6. A. RETROFLEXUS. 



Lvs. ovate, undulate; branches downy ; rac. pentandrous, triplv compound, 

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



7. A. sPiNosus, Spiny Amaranth. 



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

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

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

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



8. A. HYPOCHONDRiACus. Princp's Feallier. 



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. MELANCHOLicu.s. Love-lies-blceding. — Lvs. ovate-lanceolate, colored; 

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

 18' high, f Several other species are rarely cultivated. 



2. IRESINE. 



Gr. cipcfficovr}. an olive branch bound with tufts of wool, borne bj- suppliants ; from the resetnblaiice. 



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

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

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

 Fls. paniculate, axillary and terminal. 



I. CELO.SIolDES. 



St. ert'ct, furrowed, ])aniculnte above; lvs. scabrous, punctate, lower ob- 

 long, acuminate, upper ovate-lanceolate; 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 — 6' by 2 — 4'. Pani- 

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

 nearlv or (jtiite leafless. Sept. Orf, 

 40* 



