57. AUABANTACEM. [2. Amabantus. 



Ovule 1 suspended from a basal funicle. 



Fls. clustered with rudimentary one reduced 



to hooked awns 4. Pupalia. 



FIb. all perfect. Perianth lobes spinescent . 5. Achyranth.es, 



Fls. all perfect. Perianth lobes Boft . . .6. Aerua. 



Celosia cristata, L. often with a cockscomb-shaped inflores- 

 cence is common in gardens, and Celosia argentea, L. with white 

 or pink scarious flowers in spikes, is a common weed (Sirgit arak S.) 

 whose leaves are eaten. There are also other weeds of the order not 

 described here, e.g., Alternantbera. 



1. Deeringia, R. Br. 



1. D. eelosioides, Br. Latman, E. ; Gola mohani, Beng. 



A rambling or sub-scandent shrub with arching branches 

 alt. petioled leaves, and small greenish white flowers in 

 panicled spikes. Conspicuous in fruit by the numerous small 

 scarlet berries \-^' f diam., containing small black seeds. 



Only seen by me, in Chota Nagpur, in the low lands of Palamau 

 near the Sone. Fls.^pt. Fr. Vec.-Jany. 



L. ovate or ovate-lanceolate acuminate. Fls. £" diam. 2-sexual. 

 Stamens 5 (4-5, F.B.I.) connate at the base. An annular hypogynous disc 

 also present. Stigmas 2-4. 



2. Aaiarantus, L. 



Herbs with alt. leaves and small greenish 1 -sexual flowers 

 in axillary or panicled-spiked clusters. Sepals 2-5, and st. 

 as many without staminodes. Stigma 2-3. Utricle com- 

 pressed. Embryo annular. 



1. A. spinosus, L t Januma : , Eo. ; Janum Ara, if. 



An erect glabrous copiously oranched weed armed with 

 sharp axillary spines and bearing axillary olusters and long* 

 terminal often panicled spikes of green 1 -sexual flowers. 



A very common weed. In all districts. Fls. and Fr. most of the year. 



Stems preen, red or striped 1-3 ft. L. \-4>" long narrowed into the 

 slender petiole. 



379 



