OEDEE XCV. AMAEANTHACEiE AMAEANTH-FAM. OEDEE XOVH. POLYGONACEiE BUOKWHEAT-TEIBE. 191 



1. S. oleraoea. Spinage. 



stem erect, branching; leaves hastate-lanceolate, tapering at base, on long 

 petioles ; flowers greenish ; barren in a terminal panicle ; fertile in dense, sessile, 

 axillary racemes ; fruit sessile, prickly, or unarmed. A common plant in kitchen 

 gardens. Stem 1—2 ft. high. June— July. 



7. ACNtDA, 

 Flowers dioecious. Barren flowers — calyx 5-parted ; stamens 

 6. Fertile flowers — calyx 3-parted ; stigmas 3 — 5, sessile, linear, 

 revolute ; ovary 3 — 5-angled. Utricle 1-seeded. An. 



1. A. cannabina. Water Hemp. 



stem erect, branching, farrowed, smooth ; leaves lanceolate, tapering to a 

 long point, attenuate at base, petlolate ; flowers small, greenish, sessile in clus- 

 ters, forming crowded, axillary and terminal spikes, or panicles ; fruit smooth, 

 with acute angles. A common, homely plant. In salt marshes ; rare in inland 

 Bwamps. stem 2—3 ft. high. Aug. — Sep. 



8. ITEIPLEX. 

 Flowers polygamous, the barren and fertile mostly on the same 

 plant. Staminate and perfect flowers bractless ; calyx 3 — 5-part- 

 ed; stamens 3 — 5; style, when present, 2-parted. Pistillate flow- 

 ers furnished with 2 bracts, but destitute of a calyx ; styles 2, 

 partly united. Utricle depressed, inclosed in the bracts. Leaves 

 alternate. An. 



1. A. hortensis. Garden Or ache. 



stem erect, branching, herbaceous ; leaves triangular, dentate, of the same 

 color on both sides, quite variable in shape ; flowers green, in dense clusters. 

 forming an interrupted, terminal spike ; calyx of the fruit ovate, reticulate, en- 

 tire. Occasionally found in cultivated ground, and sometimes grown as a pot- 

 herb, stem 2—3 ft. high. July. 



2. A. patula. 



Spreading Orache. 



stem procumbent, very branching ; leaves triangular-hastate, or sinuately 

 toothed, acuminate, of a thickish texture ; upper ones lanceolate; bracts of the 

 fertile flowers rhombic, acute, studded with tuberculous points on their upper 

 surface; flowers greenish, in dense clusters, arranged in long, axillary and ter- 

 minal, interrupted spikes. A common weed in salt marshes. Stem 1 — 2 ft. 

 long. Aug. An. 



Order XCV. Amaranthdcese. — -Ama/ranth- 

 famiVy. 



1. AMAElNTHUS. 

 Flowers monoecious or polygamous, sometimes dioecious, with 

 3 bracts. Sepals 3 — 5, mostly colored, persistent. Stamens 3 — 

 6. Styles 2 — 3, sometimes 4, filiform. Utricle indehiscent, oir- 

 cumscissile, 1-seeded. An. 



* Stamens 8. 



1. A. albufc. White Coclc'scomb. 



Smooth ; stem erect or ascending, mostly branching, angular ; branches 

 spreading or horizontal ; leaves obovate, or oval-spatulate, entire, retuse, with a 

 mucronate point, light green, tapering at base, peliolate ; raraial leaves much 

 smaller ; flowers greenish, inconspicuous, in axillary clusters, furnished with 

 numerous lance-subulate bracts, tipped with bristles. A very common weed in 

 cultivated grounds. Stem 1—2 ft. high. July. 



* * Stamens 5. 



2. A. bybridus. Hybrid Amaranth. 



Pubescent and somewhat rough ; stem erect, furrowed, simple or sparingly 

 branched; leaves alternate, ovate, or ovate-lanceolate, mucronate, emarginate, 

 on long petioles ; flowers minute, green, at length dull red, in dense, crowded, 

 axillary and terminal spikes. The terminal spike is decompound ; butthe others 

 are mostly simple ; bracts subulate, longer than the flowers. A common weed 

 in wasta^nd cultivated grounds. Stem 1 — 5 ft. high. July—Oet. 



3. A. hypooliondriacus. Princess' Feather. 



Nearly or quite smooth ; stem erect, stout, simple or sparingly branched ; 

 leaves ovate, varying to oblong, entire, mucronate, green, spotted or tinged 

 with purple ; flowers minute, sessile, clustered in erect, compound spikes, deep 

 pnrpltsh-red; bracts subulate, of the same color. Common around gardens. 



and often cultivated. The whole plant is more or less tinged with purple. 

 Stems 2 — 8 ft high, with long, plumose clusters. July— Sep. An. 



4. A. melancbolicus. Love-lies-hleeding. 



stem erect, simple or sparingly branched ; leaves ovate-lanceolate, colored; 

 flowers minute, in dense clusters, arranged in axillary, roundish, nodding, pe- 

 dunculate racemes. The whole plant is of a purple color. Stem 1 — 2 ft high 

 July— Aug. 



2. GOMPHEENA. 



Flowers perfect. Bracts 5, colored ; 3 outer carinate, conver- 

 ging. Sepals 6, hairy. Disk cylindric, 5-toothed. Stamens 5. 

 Stigma 1. Utricle circumseissile, 1-celled. An. 



1. Gr. glob^sa. Globe Amaranth. 



Stems erect, hairy, with opposite, axillary branches ; leaves opposite, ob- 

 tuse, pubescent; flowers purple, in dense, globose, solitary heads, furnished 

 with 2 leaves at base. A pretty annual, cultivated for its almost Imperishable 

 and fadeless heads of flowers. Stem 10'— 18' high. July — Sep. 



3. CEL6SIA 

 Sepals 3 — 5, colored. Stamens 5, united at base by a plicate 

 disk. Style 2 — 3-cleft. Utricle circumseissile. An. 



1. C. crist^ta. Coc¥s-com.b. 



stem erect, mostly simple ; leaves ovate, acuminate, mostly alternate ; sti- 

 pules falcate, striate; flowers small, densely crowded, in large, compressed, 

 thin clustei-s, bright, purplish-red. The crests of flowers vary 2' — 8' in breadth. 

 Common in cultivation. The whole plant is bright-red ; but the large crests are 

 the most ornamental portions. Stem 1 — 2 ft. high. June — Sep. 



Order XCVI. 



Nyctagindcese. — Mii'ahili-s- 

 fainily. 



1. MIEABILIS. 

 Calyx funnel-form with 2 bracts at base ; tube contracted, free 

 from the ovary; limb plaited, entire, deciduous. Stamens 6. 

 Style 1. Stigma globose. An. 



1. M. Jalapa. Four o''clock. 



stem erect, diohotomous, smooth ; leaves opposite, one of each pair smaller, 

 cordate, acuminate, smooth; flowers pedicellate, in axillary and terminal 

 clusters, large and fragrant; root large and tuberous. A common and very 

 showy plant, in cultivation. Stem 2—3 ft. high. Flowers usually purple, but 

 varying to white, yellow, red and variegated, opening about 4 p. m., and closing 

 by sunrise. June— Sep. 



Order XCVII. 



Polygonaceee.- 



tribe. 



-BuchwJieatr 



1. EHilDM. 

 Calyx colored, of 6 sepals, persistent. Stamens 9. Styles 3. 

 Stigma many-parted, reflexed. Achenia 3-angled; angles winged. 

 Fer. 



1. E. Rbaponticum. Garden Bhubarb. 



stem erect, stout, fleshy, hollow; joints sheathed by large stipules; leaves 

 ovate, cordate, obtuse, smooth ; petioles rounded beneath, channelled above ; 

 flowers very numerous, greenish-white, in fasciculate clusters, arranged In 

 racemes, which form a large, terminal panicle, at first inclosed in a large, white, 

 membranous bract, which at length bursts and releases it. A very common 

 plant in gardens, cultivated for its large, acid petioles, which are used for pies, 

 tarts and sauces. Stem 3 — 6 ft. high. May. 



2. POLYGONUM. 

 Calyx 4 — 6, mostly 5-parted; segments often pctaloid, per- 

 sistent, and inclosing the achenium. Stamens 4 — 9, mostly 8. 

 Styles 2 — 3, mostly 3, short, filiform. Achenium mostly triangular. 

 + Flowers axillary. Stems jointed. Stigmas 3. 



1. P. aviculare. Knot-grass. 



Smooth; stem procumbent, spreading, branching; branches ascending; 

 leaves oblong, or oblong-lanceolate, rough on the margin, acute, sessile, mostly 

 pale-green; stipules short, white, gashed ; flowers nearly sessile, 3— S togethei 



