294 DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. 



HAB. Sandy bills. Penn. to Flor. W. to Miss. June. <>. 

 Scape 2 3 inches high. Flowers in an interrupted spike. 



SUBCLASS IV. MONOCHLAMYDE^B. 



Flowers with a simple perianth or perigonium. (Apeta- 

 lous.) 



ORDER XCVII. AMARANTHACEjE. Just. Lind. 



Perianth 3 5-parted, hypogynous, scarious, persistent. 

 Stamens hypogynous, either 5, or some multiple of that num- 

 ber, distinct or monadelphous ; anthers I 2-celled. Ovary 

 single, superior, 1 or few-seeded ; style 1 or none ; stigma 

 simple or compound. Fruit a membranaceous utricle. Seeds 

 lentiform, pendulous ; testa crustaceous ; albumen central, 

 farinaceous ; embryo curved round the circumference ; radi- 

 cle next the hilum ; plumula inconspicuous. 



Herbs or shrubs. Leaves simple opposite or alternate. 

 Flowers in heads or spikes, occasionally diclinous, generally 

 monoclinoue. 



1 . AMARANTHUS. Linn. 



Monoecious. Perianth 2 5-leaved. STERILE FL. Sta- 

 mens 3 5. FERTILE FL. Styles 3. Capsule 1 -eel led, 

 opening transversely all round. Seed J . 



Monoecia. Pentandria. 



1. A. tividus Linn. .- atem erect ; leaves elliptic, retuse ; flower* 

 clustered, triandrous, in rounded spikes. 



HAB. Cultivated grounds. N. S. Torr. June Aug. Q. 

 Stem 2 3 feet high, smooth. 



2. A. hybridus Linn. : leaves ovate-lanceolate ; flowers pentandrous : 

 perianth subulate ; racemes decompound, erect, crowded. 



HAB. Near gardens, &c. N. Y. to Car. June Sept. . 

 Stem 23 feet high. Introduced. ? 



3. A. blitum Linn. : stem diffuse ; leaves ovate, retuse ; flowers trt- 

 androus, three-leaved ; racemes somewhat spiked. 



HAB. In and about gardens. N. S. June Sept. .Intro- 

 duced. 



4. A. spinosits Linn. : axils] spiny ; racemes terminal, compound . 

 flowers pentandrous. 



HAB. Road sides. June Sept. . Stem diffuse, generally 

 coloured. Introduced. 



