396 A ma ra ntacece. \A "I'-^rantus. 



1. A. spinostis, L. Sp. PL 991 (1753). Itatu-tampala, S. 

 TCudkirai, T. 



llcrm. Mus. 62; Hort. Acad. Lugd.-Bat. 31. Burm. Thes. 18. 

 Fl. Zeyl. n. 338. Moon Cat. 63. Thw. Enum. 247. C. P. 2910. 



Fl. B. liid. iv. 718. Herm. Hort. Acad. Lugd.-Bat. t. 33. Wight, Ic 

 t. 5'3- 



Stem 12-18 in., stout, glabrous and polished, much 

 branched, cylindrical, with a pair of very sharp divaricate 

 opposite spines in 1. axils at the base of the bud or branch, 

 1. \\-2\ in., ovate-lanceolate, tapering to base, obtuse, spinous- 

 apiculate ; entire, undulate, glabrous above, slightly scurfy 

 beneath, lat. veins numerous, prominent beneath, petiole i-2 

 in., fl. very numerous, sessile, clusters dense both axillary and 

 in terminal interrupted spikes, male fewer than female, bracts 

 linear, bristle-pointed; per.-leaves 5, rather longer than bracts, 

 ovate, bristle-pointed, stam. 5, spreading; ov. pointed, pubes- 

 cent, styles 2, long, spreading, hairy. 



Waste ground throughout the Island; very common. Fl. September- 

 December ; pale green. 

 Tropics generally. 



A. cauduiiis, L. {A. criieiitiis^ L.) is common in gardens, and is some- 

 times found as an escape. It is recorded by Hermann (Mus. 64), but 

 does not seem to have a native name. In English gardens it is well 

 known as ' Love-lies-bleeding.' A. hypocliondriacus, L., the ' Prince of 

 Wales's Feather ' of gardens, occurs under similar conditions. 



A. friimentaceus. Ham. in Roxb. {} A. paniculaius, L.), 'Ranatam- 

 pala,' S., is cultivated for its seeds, forming a grain known as ' Landesi,' 

 It is figured in Wight, Ic. t. 720. 



2. *A. g-ang-eticus, /,. Syst. AhiL cd. 10, 1268 (1759). Sudu- 

 taznpala, .v. Chirukirai, Arikirai, T. 



A. o/eraceus, Roxb., Moon Cat. 63. Thw. Enum. 247 (non L.). 

 C. P. 3629. 



Fl. B. Ind. iv. 719. Wight, Ic. t. 715 {A. oleraceus). 



Stem 2-3 ft., erect, stout, often tinged with purple, glabrous 

 or slightly pubescent ; 1. large, 3-6 in., rhomboid-oval or 

 lanceolate, much tapering at base and decurrent on long 

 petiole, obtuse, bristle-pointed, often finely erose on margin, 

 glabrous, thin, veins very prominent beneath, fl. in large 

 axillary clusters and in long branched interrupted drooping 

 terminal spikes, bracts numerous, filiform, bristle-pointed, 

 spreading, squarrose; pcr.-leaves 3, rather shorter than bracts, 

 lanceolate, with a long filiform apex; stam. 3; styles 3; seeds 

 with a narrow raised border. 



Low country ; a common weed, but always as an escape from cultiva- 

 tion. Fl. October-Dccemljer ; pale green. 

 Found throughout the Tropics. 

 Much grown in native gardens as a vegetable or pot-herb. The 



