490 cir. amarantace.t:. 



jnirpureus, Roxb., A. tricolor, "Willd., A. mekinchoUcus, Willd., aucl 

 A. lividus, lioxb. 



Cultivated as a pot-herb and sometimes found as an escape. — Distrib. Throughout 

 India; Ceylon, Tropical Asia, Africa, and America. 



Var. trisiis, Prain, Beng. PL p. 869. An annual herb with many 

 prostrate branches from near the base of the stem. The pUmt is cut 

 down several times, a new crop of shoots springing up. Eoxburgh (Fl. 

 Iiid. V. 3, p. 604) points out that it differs from A. (langelicus {A. olera- 

 cm.-;, Roxb.) in this particular as well as in its branching from the base 

 and not from the middle of the stem as the type A. yangetkus does, 

 A. tristis (sp.), Willd. 8p. PL V. 4 (1805) p. 385 ; Koxb. Fl. Ind. v. 3, 

 p. 604 ; Grab. Cat. p. 169 ; Dalz. & Gibs. p. 215 ; Wiglit, Icon. t. 713 ; 

 Watt, Diet. Econ. Prod. v. 1, p. 216. A. 2)oh/gamns, Willd. Sp. PL v. 4 

 (1805) p. 384 (not of Linn.) ; Roxb. FL Ind. v. 3, p. 603 ; Wight, Icon, 

 t. 714 ; Grab. Cat. p. 169. 



Cultivated as a pot-herb. 



4. Amarantus viridis, Linji. 82^. PI. ed. 2 (1763) p. 1405. An 

 erect much-branched glabrous herb i-'2 ft. high; branches grooved, 

 glabrous, often purpUsh. Leaves 1-3 by ^-2 in., ovate or deltoid-ovate, 

 obtuse, usually notched at the apex, glabrous, base truncate or cuneate ; 

 petioles |-2 in. long. Flowers shortly pedicellate, pale green, in small 

 axillary clusters and in slender tapering terminal and axillary panicidate 

 spike-like racemes; bracteoles ovate-oblong, acute, with a green keel, 

 shorter than the sepals. Sepals 3, ovate-oblong, ^VtV ^"- ^^"&' mem- 

 branous, with a strong green keel. Utricle j\ in. long, indehiscent, 

 suborbicular, compressed, pointed, rugose ; styles 2 or 3, short. Seed 

 J^ in. in diam., lenticular, smooth, shining, black. Fl. B. I. v. 4, p. 720 ; 

 Grab. Cat. p. 169 : Trim. FL Ceyl. v. 3, p. 397 ; Woodr. in Journ. 

 Bomb. Nat. v. 12 (1899) p. 364 ; Prain, Beng. PL p. 869 ; Watt, Diet. 

 Econ. Prod. v. 1, p. 216. 



A common weed in gardens and cultivated ground, Graham. 



I liave seen no sj^eoimens from tlie Bombay Presidency ; there are none in Ileib. 

 Kew. Dalzell & tribson do not include the plant in their Bombay Flora, wliile 

 Woodrow, thougli including it in liis list, assigns it no habitat. The plant is very 

 common in Ceylon {Trimen). — Distrib. Throughout India in waste places and 

 cultivated ground ; Ceylon, all tropical countries. 



5. Amarantus Blitum, Linn. Sp. PI. (1753) p. 990. Vae. 

 oleracea, Hook. f. Fl. B. I. v. 4 (1885) p. 721, A tall erect succulent 

 herb; steui stout, pale, grooved and striate, glabrous. Leaves 1|-4A 

 by |-2 in., ovate, obtuse, usually notched at the tip, glabrous base 

 ciuieate ; main nerves slender, prominent beneath ; petioles 1-2| in. 

 lono-. Flowers in axillary clusters and in terminal simple or branched 

 spikes ; bracteoles shorter than the sepals. Perianth -^ in. long ; sepals 

 3, linear-oblong, obtuse or acute. Utricle j-'jj in. long, broadly ovate, 

 acute, indehiscent ; styles 3, very short. Seeds J^ in. in diam., len- 

 ticular, smooth, shining, brown-black. Trim. Fl. Ceyl. v. 3, p. 398; 

 Prain, Beng. PL p. 869. Amarantus Blitum, Woodr. in Journ. Bomb. 

 Nat. V. 12 (1899) p. 364. A. oleracexs (sp.), Linn. Sp. PL ed. 2 (1763) 

 p. 1403, Euxohis ohraceus, Moq. in DC. Prodr. v. 13, part 2, p. 273; 

 Dalz. & Gibs. p. 216.— A'ER>\ Tandulja. 



Cultivated in India and elsewhere in warm regions. 



