AMARANTAGEyE-AMARANTH FAMILY 



The Amaranths" are a group of plants, chiefly herbs and largely 

 weeds, whose inconspicuous flowers are provided with dry, 

 crowded, and persistent bracts which, in the cultivated species, are 

 brilliantly colored. The flowers are always destitute of a corolla 

 and frequently without a calyx. 



Among the well-known garden species are Love-Lies-Bleed- 

 ing, Prince's Feather, Celosia, and Globe Amaranth, together 

 with the familiar bedding species, Telenthera and Iresine. The 

 Pigweed of waste places belongs to this family. 



THE RED AMARANTHS 



Amardntus caudatus. Amardntus GangHicus. Amardntus tricolor. 

 Amarantus, Greek for unfading. 



Leaves. — Alternate; mostly long-petioled. 



Flowers. — Moncecious or polygamous, in axillary or terminal spiked 

 clusters. Three dry bracts at each flower. 



Calyx. — Five or three erect sepals. 



Corolla. — Wanting. 



Stamens. — Five, sometimes three. 



Owry.— One-ceUed, stigmas two or three; fruit a utricle, pointed 

 at apex, opening transversely, the upper part falling off as a lid, dis- 

 charging the seed. 



As has been said, "the Amaranth is a fact and a fancy. It is 

 the flower of immortality, the flower of love, the flower of fame, 

 and. the flower that accompanies Hope until she is swallowed 

 by Despair. Amarantus is the unfading flower, amar, giving the 

 adjective to the noun. By a confusion common in the history of 



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