2. Amarantus.] 57. AMABANTAQEM. [4. Pupalia. 



The leaves are eaten. The ash of the plant is used as a dye. 



The numerous species of Amarantus are known generically 88 

 Leper ara (or a: in Ho.) in Kol, and Gandhari arak , in 8. e.g., 

 A. giganteus, Konig is marang leper a : , A. gangeticus, L. is ara 

 leper a : , or naguri leper a : , according to variety, etc., etc. 



Digera arveusis, Forsh. Kari Gaadhari, 8. is an erect or prostrate 

 herb with long-petioled ovate leaves and axillary loog spikes of small 

 pink flowers. Fls. distant i 7 long, 2 outer tepals cymbiform, 3 inner deep- 

 magenta broadly-oblong. Bracteoles with forked g^een fleshy scales in 

 their axils (imperfect flowers ?). Very common, used as a pot-herb. Fls., 

 Fr. r. s. 



4. Pupalia, Juss. 



Herbs or undersbrubs with opposite leaves and small 

 greenish flowers in spiked clusters, Outer fls. in the cluster 

 reduced to awns bearing stellately spreading hooked bristles. 

 St. 5. Staminodes 0. Style slender, stigma capitellate. 



1. P. lappacea, Moq. Kuya-duya, Beng. 



A pubescent or tomentose undershrub with long 

 straggling branches, shortly petioled softly pubescent ovate- 

 oblong leaves, Chiefly noticeable from the barbed heads of 

 fruits ¥ diam. which tenaciously adhere to the clothes. 



Eocky places in Palamau. Fls. Sept.-Oct. Fr. Nov.-Dec. 



L. 2-1" with acute base. The heads consist of perfect flowers with 

 densely wooly 3-nerved sepals, and stalked stellate spines in threes with 

 a persistent bract from below their point of origin, the whole on a tough 

 peduncle. The number of such spines is 4-7 in a whorl. 



2. P. atropurpurea, Moq. 



A herb with long straggling branches, distant pairs of 

 petioled shining leaves and green flowers, about 2 perfect in 

 globose clusters J- J* diam. along a spike, with a number of 

 sterile ones, which develop in fruit into stellately spreading 

 red hooked bristles. 



Waste ground, esp. edges of fields and jungles in grassy placea 

 frequent. Singbhum, etc. Fls., Fr. Nov.-Jany, 



380 



