360 AMARANTH FAMILY. 



» Styles united; siametis home on the base of the calyx. 



1. ANYCIIIA. Sepals awnless. Stamens 2-ii, or only rarely 5. Slitfinas 2, sessile. 



Utricle exceeding the calyx. 



2. PAKt)NYCHIA. Sepals awiied. Stamens 5. Staminodia sometimes present in the 



form of minute teeth or bristle-like bodies. Utricle inclosed in tlie calyx. 

 * « Sti/les ilistiiiot ; stamens on the throat of the calyx. 

 8. SCLER.VNTIIUS. Stamens 5-10. Utricle inclosed in the indurated calyx cup. 



1. ANYCHIA, FORKED CHICKWKED. (Name derived from the 

 same root as the next.) Diffuse, forking plants, in dry soil, (i) 



A. dichdtoma, Michx. Somewhat pubescent, G'-IO' high, with re- 

 peatedly forking sliort-jointed ctems, minute, short-stalked, greenisli 

 flowers in the forks, and narrow-lanceolate or oblanceolate leaves ; 

 flowers eliistered iind nearly sessile ; all summer. 



A. capillacea, DC. Smooth, with h)nger joints and more slender and 

 erect ; leaves thinner and broader ; flowers stalked, in diffuse inflores- 

 cence. N. Eng., W. and S., with the last. 



2. PARONYCHIA, WHITLOW-WORT. (Greek: a ichitloio, and 

 a plant supposed to cure the disease.) Tufted, with minute flowers 

 and silvery dry stipules. 



* Flowers axiUarii and soUtanj. ® 



P. herniarioides, Nutt. Rough-pubescent ; stems diffuse and pros- 

 trate ; leaves oval or oblong and mucronate ; sepals awl-like. Dry sand 

 ridges, N. Car., S. ^ ^ Fhmers in clusters. H 



P. argyrdcoma, Nutt. Minutely-pubescent ; forming broad, spread- 

 ing tufts on bare mountains of White Mts., and S., in the Alleghanies to 

 Ga., and on the seacoast, Mass., N.; leaves linear ; flowers in dense clus- 

 ters and concealed by large silvery bracts ; calyx hairy, the sepals short- 

 awned ; staminodia minute teeth between the stamens. 



P. dich6toma, Nutt. On rocks, Md., S.; smooth and ascending; 

 leaves and bracts narrow-awl-shaped ; cymes open and forked ; sepals 

 short-pointed ; staminodia bristle-like. 



3. SCLERANTHUS, KNAWEL. (Greek: /ifovZ ./?o?oej% referring to 

 the indurated tube of the calyx.) 



5. dnnuus, Linn. Nat. from Eu., in gravelly grounds, around gardens 

 and in lawns ; a very pale little herb, 3'-5' high, very nmch branched 

 and spreading, with short awl-shaped leaves, and greenish small flowers 

 clustered or sessile in the forks, in late summer and autuum. (T) 



XCIII. AMARANTACE^, AMARANTH T'AMILY. 



"Weeds and some ornamental plants, chiefly herbs, essentially 

 like the next family, but the tlowers provided with dry and 

 mostly scarious crowded persistent bracts, and the fruit some- 

 times several-seeded. The filaments are often united into a 

 tube or cup. The cultivated sorts are ornamental, like Im- 

 mortelles, on account of their colored dry bracts which do not 

 wither. 



