12 AMARANTACEE [ AMARANTUS. 
the grain is known under the name of rdémddéna. It is much grown 
in English gardens as well as in India as an ornamental plant under 
the name of “ Love-lies-bleeding.”’ In the warmer parts of Africa 
it takes the place of A. paniculatus as a grain-yielding crop. 
4. A. gangeticus, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 1268 ; Foxb. Fl. Ind: 
au, 606 ; Royle Ill. 321; F. B. I. ww, 719 ; Watt BE. D.; Comm. Prod. 
Ind. 62; Duthie Field and Gard. Crops, part wi, 17, t. 67; Frain 
Beng. Pl. 870; Cooke Fl. Bomb. ii, 489. A oleraceus, Willd. (not 
Linn.); Roxb. |. c. 605; Watt E. D.; Comm. Prod. Ind. 62. 
A. lanceolatus, Roxb. 1. c. 607 ; Watt BE. D.; Comm. Prod. Ind. 62. 
A. atropurpureus, Roxb. l. c. 608; F. B. I. iv, 722; Watt E. D. 
A. tricolor, Willd. ; Roxb. l. c. 608. A, melancholicus, Willd. ; 
Roxb, l. c. 608 ; Royle Ill. 320; Watt BE. D. A. lividus, Wulld.; 
Roxb. l. c. 605; Watt EF. D.; Comm. Frod. Ind. 62.—Vern. 
Lal-sag, chaulai-sag, labra (Merwara). 
An erect stout glabrous annual. Stem 2-4 ft. high, branching above 
the middle, grooved and striate, glabrous or nearly so, often tinged 
with purpie. Leaves very variable both as to size and colour, rhom- 
boid or deltoid-ovate, obtuse or emarginate and often apiculate at 
the apex, tapering to the base and decurrent on the petiole ; petioles 
up to 3 in. long. Flowers in axillary clusters and also forming long 
interrupted spikes ; bracts membranous, exceeding the perianth, 
narrowly lanceolate and tipped with a slender awn. Perianth 3 in. 
long. Sepals 3, lanceolate, tipped with along capillary awn. Stamens 
3. Capsule 3; in. long, ovoid abruptly narrowed at the apex, rugose, 
membranous ; styles 3, distinct. Seeds lenticular, black and shining. 
Largely cultivated throughout India and in Ceylon and in other parts 
of Tropical Asia; also in Trop. Africa and America. This is an 
extremely variable plant especially in Bengal. ‘he species de- 
scribed by Roxburgh, and enumerated above as synonyms of A. 
gangeticus, are regarded by Prain as representing well-marked races, 
some of which, and more particularly A. oleraceus, include many more 
or less distinguishable and definite sub-races or cultivated forms. 
Var. tristis, Prain Beng. Pl. 870 ; Cooke Fl. Bomb. ii, 490. A. tristis, 
Willd.; Roxb. Fl. Ind. tii, 604. A. polygamus, Willd. (not of Linn.) ; 
Roxb. 1 c. 603. A. mangostanus L.; F. B. I. iv, 720; Watt EB. D. ; 
Prain Beng. Pl. 871. An annual herb, branching from near the base. 
The leaves are as variable in shape and colour as are those of the 
type, from which it chiefly differs in that the plants can be cut down 
several times without injuring them, a new crop of shoots springing 
