NAT. ORDER. 



' AmaranlacecB. 



AM.\B,ANTHUS HYPOCIIOXDRIACUS. PRINCE'S FEATHER. 



Class XXL MoNosciA. Order V. Pentandria. 



Gen. Char. The Calyx is a fine or three-leaved perianthium, 



upriglit, colored, and permanent. Lcajlcts lanceolate, acute. 



Corolla none. Anthers oblong, versatile, especially the male 



flowers. 



Sjye. Char. The Pistilluni has an ovate germ. SUjles tiiree, short and 

 subulate. Stigmas simple, permanent. Seed, single globular. 



This is a most beautiful species of the Prince's Feather, so 

 called ; the stem is erect, about a foot and a half or two feet in 

 height, smooth except under the leaves, where it is a little scabrous 

 reddish, roundish, streaked and grooved ; the leaves are red and green, 

 acute, with elevated veins ; the petioles are channelled, and of a 

 reddish color ; the racemes are naked, red, lateral, short, and placed 

 about the stem without order ; the calyx is fine-leaved ; the leajlets 

 oblong, acute, membranaceous, and red. It varies with leaves more 

 or less red — with very red and pale racemes — with a green and red 

 — with a rough and smooth stalk. It flowers from July to Septem- 

 ber. When in blossom this plant is extremely delightful. It is a 

 native of Virginia. 



The species that demand the attention of the gardeners and florists 

 are numerous, and would require too much space for a proper de- 

 scription. Among those mostly A'alued are the sorts hereinafter 

 given. 



Amaranthus mclancholiciis. Two-colored Amaranthus. Tlie 

 stems are upright, from six to eight inches in height, dark purple, 

 smooth, streaked, and simple; the leaves are blunt, simple, waved, 

 cmarginate, w rinkled, mucronate, with a short white point ; the 



Vol. jv.— 90. ^ 



