604 MONOF.ciA PENTANDRiA. Amctranlhus. 



on terminal, or other spikes. Male flotoera most numerous, 

 triandrous. Cahix twice the lenolh of the capsule, leaflets 

 awl-pointed. Capsules shorter than the calyx, less bullate 

 than in A. proslrulus. 



^ 4. A. tristis. Willd. iv. 385. 



Erect, very ramous near the ground. Leaves rhomb-oval, 

 obtuse, emarginate. Glomerules axillary, and on terminal 

 spikes. Calyces daggered, longer than the capsules. 



Teliriff. Qui-tota kura. 



Blitum Indicum secundum. Riimph. Anib. v. t. 82.,/'. 2. 



A. campestris, Willd. iv. 382, can be nothing- more than 

 one of the varieties of this very useful species, and it is more 

 than likely that his A. poli/stachyiis, p. 385, is another varie- 

 ty, if not the same. Qui-tota kura the Telinga name of A. 

 campestris, (diouuh by mistake I presume Willdenow inserts 

 the word Tamul) is synonymous with Ki/ppee-kirii, the Ta- 

 mul name of poljistachyus. 



Annual, I have never found it wild, it is held in great es- 

 teem by all ranks of the natives, and is much cultivated by 

 them, it grows readily all the year round if watered. 



Root perpendicular, coloured, reddish. Stem erect, below 

 ramous, from one to two feet high, smooth, sometimes tinged 

 red. Branches spreading or near the ground, as long as the 

 stem. Leaves petioled, rhomb-ovate, tapering doMn the pe- 

 tiole, emarginate with a bristle, a little rugose ; size very va- 

 rious, but in general about an inch broad. Glomerules axil- 

 lary, and in long, terminal, erect, interrupted, green spikes 

 (not two-parted.) Male flowers triandrous. Leaves of 

 the calyx ending in an awled point, longer than the capsule. 

 It differs from A. oleracens in having long, diffuse 

 branches from the base, and from Dnyala kura in having- al- 

 ways terminal spikes; besides it may be cut down several 

 times without destroying- the plants, for they soon shoot out 

 vigorously again ; this renders it much more useful to the 

 poorer natives, who are possessed of but a very small spotof 



