12 AMARANTH FEATHERS 



AMARANTH FEATHERS. See HUMEA elegans. 



AMARA'NTHUS (from Gr. amarantos, unfading; expres- 

 sing its permanent nature and colour). Nat. Ord. 

 A maranthacece. 



A curious and striking family of half-hardy 

 annuals, some forms being well known by their 

 drooping flowers, which hang rope-like till they 

 touch the ground a foot or more in length, while 

 others are only grown for the sake of the gorgeous 

 colours of their foliage. These strange flowers 

 retain their colour long after being cut, and in 

 Portugal they are employed to adorn the churches 

 at festivals, much in the same way as "Immor- 

 telles " are used in cemeteries. The foliage of all 

 the Amaranths (or more properly Amarants), is 

 extremely effective, being of blood-red colour or 

 carmine, with, in some cases, an addition of bronzy- 

 green and yellow. Care must be taken, however, 

 in not planting too many of them, but rather have 

 a group here and there as a relief to the green 

 foliage of other plants. The flowers are at their 

 best in August, except as otherwise specified. 



A. atropurpu'reus grows about 3 ft. high, with 

 deep purplish-red foliage. E. Indies, 1820. 



A. bi' color, about 2 ft. high, has red and green 

 foliage. E. Indies, 1802. 



A. caudaftus, popularly known as Love-lies-bleeding, 

 grows about 2J ft. high. It has curious blood- 

 red, rope-like flowers, graceful, but rather 

 melancholy looking. E. Indies, 1596. 



