AMARANTHS 477 



alternate leaves, and small green or red flowers in long clustered spikes. 

 These flowers are perianths, three- or five-lobed, with three coloured bracts 

 at their base. The stamens are five or three. The fruit is an utricle— 

 a kind of nut— containing one loose seed, and splitting transversely. 

 They are natives of warm and Temperate Regions. 



History. Amaranths are among the real old-fashioned garden 



flowers. As far back as the year 1548 Amarantus tricolor 

 was growing in British gardens, having been brought from the East Indies. 

 By 1596 A. caudatus, from the same quarter of the globe, had also made 

 its way here ; and in 1684 A. hypochondriaciLs came from North America. 

 Many others have been introduced, but the most notable of those at 

 present in cultivation are of recent introduction ; thus A. speciosus came 

 from Nepal in 1819, and A. salicifolius from the Philippine Isles in 1871 

 A. caudatus has received the sentimental English name of Love-lies- 

 bleeding, whilst the French call it Fox Brush and Nun's Scourge. 

 Principal species. ^MARANTUS CAUDATUS (tailed). Love - lies - bleeding. 

 Stem angular, 2 to 3 feet high. Leaves oval. Flowers 

 very small, in long, drooping, cylindrical, branching racemes; July to 

 September. Plate 227. 



A. HYPOCHONDRiAcus (melancholy). Prince's Feather. Stem erect, 

 4 to 5 feet high. Leaves lance-shaped, purplish beneath. Flowers deep 

 crimson in dense, erect spikes ; July. 



A. MELANCHOLicus RUBER (melancholy-red). A more compact, dwarf 

 plant about a foot high, the leaves shaded with crimson. A native of Japan. 

 A. SALICIFOLIUS (Willow-leaved). This plant, which is about 3 feet 

 in height, is grown for its graceful foliage, like that of the Willow in 

 shape, and varying from half a foot to a foot and a quarter in length, 

 wavy and drooping ; and when mature brilliantly variegated with orange^ 

 carmine, and bronze. 



A. SPECIOSUS (showy). Large Prince's Feather. Stems 3 to 5 feet 

 high. Leaves lance-shaped, at first tinged with red, but this passes when 

 the plant flowers. These are dark crimson-purple in long erect spikes 

 which form a plume-like panicle ; July. 



A. TRICOLOR (three-coloured). Variegated Amaranth. Stem 1| 

 foot high. Leaves crimson, yellow, and green; apex yellow or green, 

 dark purple in centre, crimson or carmine from centre to base, stalk 

 usually yellow, sometimes red. Flowers green and conspicuous. This 

 IS more tender than the others. Plate 228. 



Amaranths will grow almost anywhere with ease • but 

 to have them at their best they should be grown in' rich 

 loam. As they are all annuals they require to be grown from seed. 



