130 FLORA OF JAMAICA Amaranttii 



crustaceous, deep brown to black. Embryo annular, cotyledons 

 linear. 



Species, about 45 enumerated, widespread over the whole 

 world except in polar regions. 



Plant spiny 1. A. spinosus. 



Plants without spines. 

 Flowers in a terminal spike, generally long «nd 

 branched and in axillary spikes or clusters. 

 Perianth-segments 5. Utricle smooth, circumsciss. 2. A. tristis. 

 Perianth-segments 3. Utricle wrinkled, indebi- 



scent 3. A. viridis. 



Flowers in clusters or very short spikes. 

 Peduncles of clusters thick, and deciduous with 



fruit 4. A. crassipes. 



Peduncles wanting. Female perianth with urceo- 



late tube, thick 5. A.polygonoides. 



1. A. spinosus L. Sp. PI. 991 (1753) ; leaf-axils with spines. — 

 Wright Mem. 299 ; Moq. in DC. Prodr. xiii. pt. 2, 260 ; Griaeh. 

 Fl. Br. W. Ind. 68 ; Wight Ic. t. 513 ; Urb. Symh. Ant. iv. 218. 

 Blitum Americanum spinosum Sloane Cat. 49 & Hist. i. 143. 

 Type in Herb. Linn. 



Prickly Calalu, Spinach. 



By way-sides everywhere and in cane-piece intervals, Sloane Herb. ii. 

 112 I Wright ! Broughton 1 Shakspear I Parnell I river courses, Fort 

 Stewart, Metcalfe I Moneague, Prior 1 Ball 1 — Bermuda (introd.), Bahamas, 

 West Indies, continental America, trop. Africa and Asia. 



Stem 3-6 dm. high, red and prickly. Spines of the flowering shoots 

 • 5-1 cm. 1. Leaves of the flowering shoots ovate to rhomboid-lanceolate 

 or lanceolate, light green, to 5-5 cm. 1., to 3 cm. br. Flowers white or 

 brown, in axillary globose clusters, and generally also in long terminal 

 spikes. Bract and bracteoles subulate, bristle-like, equalling or exceeding 

 the perianth. Perianth 1*5 mm. 1.; segments 5. Stamens 5. Utricle 

 1*5 mm. 1., bursting irregularly above the base, apex 2-3-fid. Seed 

 8 nam. br. 



In common use for greens, and by some preferred to the true spinach. 



2. A. tPistis L. Sp. PI. 989 (1753); terminal spike with few 

 branches, long and flexuose, axillary spikes smaller ; perianth- 

 segments 5 ; stamens 5 (4 or 3) ; utricle smooth ; circumsciss. — 

 Willd. Amarant. t. 5, /. 10; Moq. lac. cit. ; Oriseb. op. cit. 69; 

 Urh. loc. cit. 



Spanish Calalu. 



Broughton ! Shakspear \ Distin ! March ! Hope, Hanis ! Fl. Jam. 

 6802.— Cayman, Bahamas, W. Indies, tropicEJ and subtropical regions. 



Stem to 4 dm. high. Leaves rhomboid-ovate to ovate, obtuse, sub- 

 emarginate, to 5 cm. 1., to 3 cm. br,, long-stalked. Bracts about as long 

 as the perianth, acute. Perianth 2 mm. 1., segments oblong, obtuse, 

 mucronulate. Utricle as long as the perianth, apex 2-3-fid, circumsciss 

 at middle. Seed 1 mm. 1., '75 mm. br. 



There is no specimen in Linneeus's Herbarium. A. gangeticus L., to 

 which A. tristis is doubtfully referred (Flora of British Ladia iv. 719), has 

 3 long-awned perianth-segments, much longer than the utricle. 



