AMARANTH FAMILY 



ity in which the stems and plumes have become laterally joined, 

 with a partial suppression of their upward growth — the botanists 

 call this change fasciation. 



The primitive form has always remained in cultivation and very 

 airy, graceful, beautiful varieties are now offered by florists, which 

 are a welcome addition to the flowers of October. 



The color variations range through reds and yellows. The 

 brilliant coloring is due to a vast number of small bracts inter- 

 mingled with the flowers. These persist unchanged from the 

 opening of the perianth to the maturing of the seeds; thus making 

 a long blooming season and giving value to the plant. 



ALTERNANTHERA 



TelantMra. 

 Telanthera, Greek for complete anthers. 



Leaves. — Opposite, small, variable in shape, 

 inclined to be obovate. 



Flowers. — Small, perfect, in small axillary 

 clusters. 



Calyx. — Five-parted, the divisions unequal. 



Corolla. — Wanting. 



Stamens. — Five, anther-bearing, alternating 

 with five sterile filaments of the same length; 

 all united into a short tube. 



These low-growing Brazilian weeds have 

 Aiternanthera. Tdanihhra a Very definite valuc to gardeners, as they 

 rank among the stock plants for the founda- 

 tion work in carpet-bedding. They are amaranths, and, like most 

 of the family, the flower is small and consists principally of bracts 

 and stamens. Their value lies not in their flowers, but in their 

 firm little leaves; and three species of Aiternanthera, which are 

 distinguished by the color of their leaves and the height of the 

 plant, are recorded as in cultivation. No doubt considerable 

 hybridization has occurred among them, but in any case the 

 gardeners divide the present race into two definite groups: in the 



