Amarantus. 55 



common annuals, and sown so thickly that they never 

 attain half their true development, or never fulfil any 

 of the graceful uses for which they are adapted. But 

 the family possesses greater claims on our attention by 

 reason of the more recent additions to it. The old 

 "Love lies bleeding" (A. caudatus), with its dark-red 

 pendent racemes, is a very striking object when well 

 grown, but A. speciosus and some of the more recent 

 varieties are still more so. 



*Amarantus caudatus. A hardy and vigorous-grow- 

 ing species, from 2 ft. to 3! ft. high. Flowers from July 

 to September, dark purplish, very small, collected in 

 numerous whorls, which are disposed in drooping spikes 

 so as to form a handsome pendent panicle. There is a 

 variety which has yellow flowers and is equally hardy. 

 It is advisable to give this plant plenty of room to 

 spread ; otherwise much of its picturesque effect will be 

 lost ; and to use it in positions where its fine and peculiar 

 habit may be seen to advantage, as, for example, in 

 large vases, edges of large beds of subtropical plants, or 

 dotted among low-growing flowering plants. Although 

 as easily raised as any common annual, it deserves to 

 be properly thinned out, and each plant isolated in rich 

 ground, so that it may attain its full size. E. Indies. 



*Amarantus sanguineus. Is distinguished by the 

 blood-red colour of its leaves, and grows about 3 ft. high. 

 Its purple flowers appear from July to October, dis- 

 posed partly in small heads in the axils of the upper 

 leaves, and partly in slender, flexible spikes which form 

 a panicle more or less branching. This plant, though a 

 native of the East Indies, is quite hardy, and seems to 



