10 “" AMARANTACE. [AmaRANTUS, 
Fruit blunt at the apex :— 
Fruit orbicular or broadly ovate, indehis- 
cent, membranous :— 
Procumbent ; leaves small, 2-lobed ; 
clusters allaxillary . : . 6. A. Blitum. 
Tall, succulent ; leaves large, oblong 
or rounded ; clusters axillary and 
in terminal simple orlabed spikes . A. Blitum var. 
oleracea. 
Fruit ovoid, rugose, indehiscent or dehis- 
cent ; leaves obtuse, rarely retuse or 
2-lobed ; clusters all axillary . . 7. A. polygamus, 
Stamens 2; sepals 2; fruit orbicular, com- 
pressed, membranous, indehiscent ; clusters 
minute, all axillary; leaves small, linear- 
oblong, obtuse or 2-lobed at the apex . . 8. A, tenuifolius. 
1, A, spinosus, Linn. Sp. Fl. 991; Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii, 611; 
F. B. I. iv, 718 ; Watt E. D.; Comm. Prod. Ind. 63 ; Prain Beng. 
Pl. 869 ; Cooke Fl. Bomb. ii, 488.—Prickly Amaranth. 
An erect spinous herb. Stems terete, glabrous, hard, often tinged with 
red ; branches grooved, armed with sharp straight divaricate spines 
in the leaf axils. Leaves 14-4 in. long, ovate or lanceolate, obtuse 
and spine-tipped, glabrous on upper surface, often scurfy beneath ; 
main lateral nerves close, prominent beneath ; petiole equalling or 
shorter than the blade. Flowers many, sessile, in dense axillary 
clusters or in terminal and axillary more or less interrupted spikes ;. 
bracts usually longer than the sepals, linear and tipped with a bristle.. 
Perianth of male flowers ;3-4} in. long, with ovate acute bristle- 
tipped segments ; perianth of female flowers much smailer and with 
oblong obtuse apiculate segments. Stamens 5. Capsule 3, in. long, 
ovoid, thickened above, rugose ; styles 2, spreading. Seeds black 
and shining. 
Found abundantly in all parts of the area, and often troublesome as a 
weed in fields and gardens. Dristris.: Throughout India and in 
Ceylon, ascending to 5,000 ft. on the Himalaya; extending to all 
tropical countries. The ashes of this plant are used in dyeing, the 
leaves are often eaten as spinach, and the roots are much used in. 
native medicine. 
