A maranthacetz A maranthiis. 391 



1. A. caudatus (ftg. 208). Love-lies-bleeding. This showy 

 annual is one of the common inhabitants of cottage-gardens. 

 The pendulous half-trailing inflorescence is either crimson or 

 pale yellow. It is a native of the East Indies, and was intro- 

 duced in 1596. 



2. A. hypochondrlacus (fig. 209). Prince's Feather. This 

 is distinguished by its erect habit and deep crimson inflo- 

 rescence. The foliage too is purplish beneath. Also Asiatic. 

 A. speciosus, a variety of the same or a closely allied species, 

 bears the same name. 



A. tricolor (fig. 210), a variety of A. melancholicus, with 

 ornamental foliage, is a favourite bedding plant. The variega- 



Fig. 210. Amaranthus tricolor. (J nat. size.) 



tion consists of an admixture of crimson, yellow, and green. 

 A. salicifblius is a handsome plant of recent introduction 

 from the Philippine Islands, having very long narrow pendulous 

 wavy leaves variegated with bright red. 



2. IRESINE. 



Herbs with opposite petiolate glabrous leaves, brightly 

 coloured in the cultivated forms. Flowers tribracteate, poly- 

 gamous or dioacious. Perianth 5-parted. Stamens 5. Fruit 

 a 1 -seeded indehiscent utricle. A small genus whose species 

 are nearly all from tropical America. The name is from 

 eipecriwvrj, in allusion to the woolly branches and inflorescence 

 of some of the species. 



