AMABANTHACEAE 193 



2. A. CAUDATUS L. 



An erect, stout, branched, unarmed, annual herb 1 to 2 m high, sparingly 

 pubescent or nearly glabrous, all parts usually reddish-purple. Lower 

 leaves long-petioled, oblong-ovate to ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, up to 25 

 cm long, the upper ones similar but smaller. Inflorescence terminal and 

 in the uppei- axils, paniculate, the panicles 15 to 30 cm. long, the primary 

 branches very numerous, 10 to 15 cm long, densely flowered. Flowers 

 about 1.5 cm long. Sepals -oblong to oblong-obovate, apiculate, shorter 

 than the caudate-acuminate bracts. Stamens 5. Utricle 3-toothed at 

 the apex, circumsciss, exceeding the calyx. Seed brown or black, shining, 

 about 1 mm in diameter, the margins round. (Fl. Filip. pi. U30, A, panic- 

 ulatus.) 



Cultivated for its ornamental foliage, fl. all the year. In various tropical 

 and subtropical countries in both hemispheres, wild and cultivated; in- 

 troduced in the Philippines. 



3. A. GANGETICUS L. 



A coarse, erect, unarmed, glabrous, much-branched herb 1 to 1.5 m high, 

 the vegetative parts often dull-purplish or reddish. Leaves long-petioled, 

 broadly ovate, acute or shortly acuminate, base long-decurrent-acuminate, 

 5 to, 12 cm long. Clusters of flowers in the lower axils, and forming 

 elongated spikes which are cylindric, somewhat Interrupted, up to 10 cm 

 long and 1 cm in diameter. Bracts about 4 mm long, lanceolate, awned- 

 acuminate. Sepals lanceolate, acuminate. Stamens 3. Utricle circum- 

 sciss, shorter than the sepals. Seed black, shining, about 1.2 mm in 

 diameter. (Fl. Filip. pi. 289, A. cruentus.) 



Occasionally cultivated, fl. July-Dec, and probably in other months; 

 not spontaneous in our area, although so found in some parts of the 

 Philippines, certainly introduced. Tropics generally, cultivated and in 

 cultivated ground. 



4. A. VIRIDIS L. Colites (Tag.). 



An erect, glabrous, branched, unarmed annual 30 to 60 cm high. Leaves 

 long-petioled, 4 to 10 cm long, ovate, obtuse, tip usually notched, base 

 truncate or decurrent. Inflorescence of terminal and axillary, simple or 

 panicled, interrupted spikes. Flowers very small, densely disposed, green, 

 about' 1 mm long. Seed brown or black. (Fl. Filip. pi. 262, Euxolus 

 caudatus.) 



In open waste places, cultivated grounds etc., common, fl., all the year; 

 throughout the Philippines, but probably introduced. All tropical and 

 warm countries. 



6. PUPAUIA Jussieu 



Herbs or undershrubs with opposite leaves. Flowers perfect or im- 

 perfect, in spicate clusters, the imperfect ones reduced to awns bearing 

 stellately spreading hooked bristles. Sepals 5, acuminate, 3- to 6-nerved. 

 Stamens 5, nearly free below; anthers 2-eelled; staminodes none. Ovary 

 ovoid; style slender. Fruit an ovoid, compressed, indehiscent utricle. 



Species 3 in tropical Asia and Africa, 1 in the Philippines. 



1. P. ATEOPURPUREA (Lam.) Moq. 



A slender, erect, straggling, glabrous or sparingly pubescent annual 

 herb 0.5 to 1.5 m high. Leaves opposite oblong-ovate, acuminate, base 



1115B5 — ^18 



