132 FLORA OF JAMAICA Amarantus 



and utricle. Perianth, ma,\e, 1'25 mm. 1., segments somewhat obovate- 

 elliptical, mucronulate ; female •8--9 mm. 1., segments unequal, elliptical, 

 mucronulate in fruit, outer elliptical, the others spathulate. Utricle (incl. 

 style) 1*5 mm. 1., somewhat fleshy. Seed 1-1 mm. in diam. 



A. Blitum L., with the var. oleracea Hook.f. {A. oleraceus L.), probably 

 also occurs in Jamaica, although we have no specimen before us. It 

 differs from A. viridis L. chiefly in the utricle which is not rugose. — 

 Euxolus viridis Moq. torn. cit. 273 ; Griseb. loc. dt. 



4. A. erassipes Schlecht. in Linnxa vi. 757 (1831); flowers, 

 male, a few together in the axils of the upper leaves, female 

 several together in axils, with short thick peduncles deciduous 

 with the fruit. — Urb. loc. cit. Scleropus amarantoides Schrad. in 

 Ind. Sem. Hort. Gotting. (1835) (reprinted in Linnsea xi. Litt. 89) ; 

 Griseb. op. cit. 68. S. erassipes Moq. torn. cit. 271 (1849). 



r March ! Hope, 600-700 ft., Harris I Fl. Jam. 6800, 6847.— Florida, Key 

 West, Bahamas, Cuba, Hispaniola, Porto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Cruz, 

 Margarita, Aruba, Curasao, continental America from Mexico to Peru. 



Stem 1-7 dm. 1. Leaves 1-2-5 cm. 1., spathulate, long-stalked. Bract 

 and bracteoles keeled, shorter than the perianth. Perianth 1-2-1 '5 mm. 1. ; 

 segments 5, male oblong, female spathulate. Stamens 3. Utricle some- 

 what fleshy, indehiscent, apex 2-fid, tubercled. 



5. A. polygonoides L. Amoen. v. 409 (1760) ; flowers in axil- 

 lary sessile clusters ; female perianth thick, 5-fid, tube urceolate ; 

 L. Sp. PI. ed. 2, 1405; Urb. loc. cit. Blitum polygonoides Shane 

 Cat. 49 & Hist. i. 144, t. 92, fig. 2. Chenopodium humile multi- 

 florum &c. Browne Hist. Jam. 184. Amblogyna polygonoides 

 Moq. torn. cit. 270 ; Griseb. loc. cit. Type in Herb. Mus. Brit. 



Spanish Town, Shane Herb. ii. 116 1 Kingston, Brovme ; Wright 1 

 Macfadyenl Kingston, Priori — Florida and Keys, Bahamas, Cuba, His- 

 paniola, St. Thomas, St. Cruz, St. Martin, St. Bartholomew, Saba, Antigua, 

 Bequia, D6sirade, Aruba, Curacjao. 



Stem decumbent or ascending to suberect, puberulous, to 8 dm. 1. 

 Leaves obovate, long-stalked, apex emarginate, the median nerve at the 

 back ending in a mucro, -5-2-5 cm. 1. Bract and bracteoles subulate, 

 nearly as long as the female perianth. Flowers white. Perianth of male 

 fl. of 3 segments, about 1 mm. 1. Stamens 3. Perianth of female flower 

 2 mm. 1. Utricle indehiscent, apex 3-fid, enveloped by the persistent 

 perianth, 3 mm. 1. ; lobes with 3 nerves slightly prominulous, base fleshy. 



4. ACNIDA L. 



Annual herbs, tall, glabrous, branching. Leaves alternate, 

 stalked, entire, penninerved. Flowers in clusters in terminal 

 and axillary spikes, dioecious, male and female dissimilar ; bracts 

 and bracteoles shorter than perianth. Male flower : perianth- 

 segments 5, scarious, mucronate. Stamens 5, free; anthers 

 2-celled. Female flower without perianth, enveloped by the 

 persistent bract and bracteoles. Ovary with 2-5 stigmas ; ovule 1, 



