Chenopodales.] 



AMARANTACE^. 



511 



tropical America, but 5 in extra- tropical Asia, and but 21 in extra-tropical America ; 

 5 are natives of Europe, 28 of New Holland, and .9 of Africa and its islands. 



Many of the species are used, with the addition of Lemon-juice, as potherbs, on 

 account of the wholesome mucilagmous quaUties of the leaves. A. \nridis leaves are 

 employed externally as an emollient poultice. The bitter and acrid leaves of Deeringia 

 celosioides are lised against the measles in Java. AchjTanthes aspera and finiticosa 

 are administered in India in di'opsical cases. The flowers of the Cockscomb, Celosia 

 cristata, are astringent, and are exhibited in Asia in cases of diarrhoea, blenorrhoea, 

 excessive menstrual dischai'ges, haematesis, and similar disorders. The seeds of Ama- 

 ranthus frumeutaceus (Kiery), and of A. Anardliana, are gathered as corn crops in 

 India. Achyranthes globuhfera and Amaranthus debilis, are both used in Madagascar 

 in the form of infusion, as a cure for syphilis. Amaranthus obtusifolius is said to be 

 diuretic. Several are objects of interest with gardeners, for the beauty of their colour- 

 ing and the dm'ability of their blossoms. Gomphrena officinalis and macrocephala 

 have a prodigious reputation in Brazil, where they are called Para todo, Perpetua, and 

 Raiz do Padre Salerma : as the first of these names imports, they are esteemed useful 

 in all kinds of diseases, especially in cases of intermittent fever, coUc, and dian'hoia, 

 and against the bite of serpents. The root is considered a stimulating tonic. 



GENERA. 



Suborder I. — 



GOMPHRENE^. 



Iresine, Willd. 



Rosea, Mart. 



Crucita, Lbffl. 

 Philoxerus, R. Br. 

 Gossypianthus, Hook. 

 Trommsdorfia, Mart 

 Alternanthera, Forsk. 



Allaqanthera, Mart. 

 Teleianthera, R. Br. 



Bucholzia, Mart. 

 Brandesia, Mart, 

 Mogiphanes, Mart. 

 Gomphrena, Linn. 



Schultesia, Schrad. 



Bragantia, Vandell. 



Serturnera, Mart. 



P/affia, Mart. 



Hebanthe, Mart. 

 Frohlichia, Miinch. 



Hoplotheca, Nutt. 

 Xerosiphon, Turcz. 



Suborder II. — AchyraN' 



THEJE. 



Polycnemum, L, 

 Hemichroa, R.Br. 

 Psilotrichum, Blitmc. 



?Leiospermum, Wall. 

 Trichinium, R. Br. 

 Sericocoma, Fenzl. 



Kyphocarpa, Fenzl. 



Eitchroa, Fenzl. 



PtUotus, R. Br. 

 Nyssanthes, R. Br. 

 Achyranthes, Linn. 

 Centrostachys, Wall. 

 Aerua, Forsk. 

 Digera, Forsk. 

 Desmochaeta, DC. 

 Pupalia, 3Iart. 



Cyathnla, Lour. 



Syama, .Jones. 

 Saltia, R. Br. 

 Polyscalis, Wall. 

 Albersia, Kunth. 

 Scleropus, Schrad. 

 Amaranthus, L. 



Polychroa, Lour. 

 Chamissoa, H. B. K. 



Charpentiera , Gaudich . 

 Allnmnia, R. Br. 



Suborderlll. — Celgse.e. 



Cladostachys, Don. 

 Celosia, L. 



Lestiboudesia, Thouars. 

 Hermbstadtia, Rchb. 



Bcrzelia, Mart. 



Langia, Endl. 

 Deeringia, R.Br. 

 * * « 



Tryphera, Blum. 

 Lecanocarpus, Nees. 



Acroglochin, Schrad. 



Blitanthus, Rchb. 

 Hablitzia, Bieberst. 



Numbers. Gex. 38. Sp. 282. 



Position. — Chenopodiacese. — AMARANXACEiE." 

 TllecehraceoB. 



