Celosm.] Amarantacece. 393 



also into the moist region, and are mostly weeds of cultivated ground; 

 scarcely any ascend into the montane zone. Achyranthes diandra is the 

 only endemic species. 



I. CEX.OSIA, L. 



Herbaceous, 1. alt., fl. sessile, in clusters or spikes ; perianth- 

 leaves 5, scarious; stam. 5, fil. connate below, forming a short 

 hypogynous cup, anth. 2-celled, staminodes o ; ov. with several 

 ■erect ovules; fruit a membranous capsule with circumscissile 

 dehiscence; seeds several, reniform, compressed. — Sp. 30; 4 in 

 Fl. B. hid. 



Fl. in dense spikes 1-5 in. long . . i. C. ARGENTEA. 

 Fl. in small clusters on spicate infl. 



L. over i in., tapering at base . . 3. C. pulchell.\. 



L. under i in., subcordate at base . 3. C. POLYGONOIDES. 



1. C. arg-entea, L. Sp. PL 205 (1753)- K.irl-benda, S. 



Moon Cat. 18. Thw. Enum. 247. C. albida, Willd., Moon Cat. 18. 

 C. P. 2245. 



Fl. B. Ind. iv. 714. Wight, Ic. t. 1767. 



Annual, stem 1-3 ft, erect, with ascending branches, striate, 

 glabrous, 1. sessile, 1-3 in., linear or linear-lanceolate, acute at 

 both ends, entire, glabrous ; fl. numerous, densely crowded 

 and imbricate in a close cylindrical terminal spike 1-5 in. 

 long, bracts linear-lanceolate, scarious, acute ; perianth-leaves 

 ]j in., twice as long as bracts, lanceolate, acute, erect, semi- 

 transparent; fil. short; ov. globose, style long, straight, fili- 

 form ; fruit dehiscent about the middle ; seeds 4-8, black, 

 polished. 



Low country ; very common in cultivated ground in the dry region, 

 and rarer in the moist districts. Fl. all the year ; silvery-white, at first 

 purplish-pink. 



Throughout the Tropics, either cultivated or as a weed. 



A very conspicuous plant in the sandy fields of the dry districts. 



2. C. pulchella, Moq. in DC. Prod. xiii. 2, 238 (1849). 

 Thw. Enum. 247. C. P. 2238. 



Fh B. Ind. iv. 715. Wight, Ic. t. 1768. 



Annual (?), often semi-woody at base, stem 1-3 ft, erect, 

 with many spreading or ascending branches, glabrous; 1. \\-'2.\ 

 in., ovate, rounded below but tapering at very base, acute, 

 apiculate, entire, glabrous, thin, petiole about \ in. ; fl. small, 

 2 or 3 together in little clusters distantly placed on elongated, 

 slender, unbranched, terminal spikes, bracts very small, acute; 

 per.-leaves oval, acute, scarious ; fruit exceeding per. topped 

 with a thickened head ; seeds about 12, minutely dotted, 

 black. 



