6. -Eeua.] 57. AMARANTACEJE. [1. Basblla, 



3. A. MonsoHia, Mart, is a small plant with opposite or 3-nately 

 whorled filiform leaves \-l" and solitary or sub-paaicled peduncled 

 spikes 4-1" long of rose-coloured flowers. Hazaribagh in Sal forest. Fls. 

 Itov-Dec. 



Fam. 58. CHENOPODIACE^. 



Herbs or shrubs with alt. simple exstipulate leaves and 

 small usually regular 1-2-sexual flowers. Calyx herbaceous 

 or membranous of 3-5 free or connate sepals or 2 or in the 

 female. Pet. 0. St. usually 5 opposite the sepals nearly 

 always free at base, hypogynous or perigynous, anths.; 2-celled. 

 Ovary 1 -celled, stigmas 2-4. Ovule 1 basal or lateral 

 campylotropous, Fr. a utricle enclosed in the often enlarged 

 fleshy calyx. Seed alb. or exalb. Embryo, curved, annular 

 or spiral. 



The cultivated Beet and Spinach belong to this family, and two or 

 three weeds which are used as pot herbs. 



1. Basella, L. 



-■ 1. B. rubra, L. Utu a :, Ho. ; Pui, H. 



A fleshy twining much branched herb with ovate shining 

 rather , fleshy leaves and small sessile pinkish fleshy 

 flowers' in distant spikes, succeeded by ovoid pointed black 

 1-seeded berries (utricle enclosed in the fleshy perianth) \* 

 diam. 



Grown on trellises and hedges in all Ch. Nag. villages. Fls., Fr. 

 March-Dec. 



Stems often red. L. H" by IV to 3" by 2" slightly acuminate with 

 straight or rounded base. Spikes $-3" long with fleshy rachis. Fls. 

 2-sexual, urceolate, with a smatt green braot and 2 adnate coloured 

 bracteolea. Perianf ?i 5-fid, fleshy with deep purple j nice in fruit. St. 5 

 perigynous. Styles 3. 



A pot-herb. 



382 



