184 68. AMARANTACEAE 



11. Perianth densely covered with silky or woolly hairs 12 



Perianth glabrous or scantily hairy 15 



12. Perianth-segments firmly leathery, silky-hairy, 3-nerved. Shrubs. Leaves 



alternate, fleshy. — Species i. South Africa to Damaraland. (Under 



Sericoccnia Fe-izl) Calicorema Hook. fil. 



Perianth-segments more or less membranous 13 



13. Branches jointed. Leaves very small, opposite, ovate, acuminate. Under- 



shrubs. — Species i. Southern West Africa (Hereroland). 



Arthraerua Schinz 

 Branches continuous 14 



14. Perianth-segments silky, more or less thickened and hardened at the 



base, i-nerved. Flowers small. Ovary hairy. Stigma capitate. — 

 Species 8. Southern and Central Africa. . . . Sericocoma Fenzl 

 Perianth-segments woolly, not thickened. Flowers very small, in dense 

 spikes. — Species 10. Some are used as vegetables or as ornamental 

 plants. {Ourct Adars.) Aerva Forsk. 



15. Spurious staminodes minute, narrow, acute, unappendaged. Perianth- 



segments brownish-red , stiff-leathery, large, oblong, 3-nerved. In- 

 florescence head -like, ovoid. Leaves usually alternate. Undershrubs. 

 — Species i. Southern West Africa (Angola and Congo). 



Mechowia Schinz 



Spurious staminodes more or less quach'ate, fringed or appendaged. Leaves 



opposite 16 



16. Spurious staminodes fringed below the top. Perianth-segments erect, 



oblong, blunt, thickened below. Flowers erect, spicate. Leaves small, 

 sessile, linear-cblcng. Herbs. — Species i. Southern East A'rica. 



(Under Pandiaka Hook, fil.) Argyrostachys Lopr. 



Spurious staminodes fringed at the top or prolonged into appendages. 

 Perianth-segments pointed. Flowers usually bent downwards. . . 17 



17. Perianth-segments red or yellow, elhptical, hardened at the base, fainlly 



I — 5-nerved. Shrubs or undershrubs. — Species 7. Central x^frica to 



Transvaal Centema Hook, fil. 



Perianth-segments white green or brown, lanceolate, stiff-leathery, 

 usually 3-ribbed. — Species 30. Some of them yield a substitute for 

 soap or are used in medicine. {Including A chyr op sis Moq. and Pav.diaka 

 Moq.) (Plate 41.) Achyranthes L. 



18. (10.) Stamens i- — 2. Perianth-segments 3 — 5, membranous, woolly, i- 



nerved. Herbs. — Species i. Tropics. . . . Nothosaerua Wight 

 Stamens 4 — 5 ig 



19. Outer perianth-segments densely clothed with silky hairs, faintly 3-nerved. 



Style slender. Shrubs. — Species 2. Northern East Africa (Somah- 



land) Chionothrix Hook. fil. 



Outer perianth-segments glabrous or scantily hairy, with 3 strong ribs. 

 Flowers greenish. — Species 15. Central and South East Africa. (In- 

 cluding Psilostachys Höchst.) Psilotrichum Blume 



