368 AMARANTACE^. (AMAKANTH FAMILY.) 



upper part falling away as a lid. Embryo coiled into a ring around the albu- 

 men. — Annual weeds, of coarse aspect, with alternate and entire petioled leaves, 

 and small green or purplish flowers in axillary or terminal spiked clusters. 

 (Name compounded of a privative, fnapaivco, to fade, and av6os, flower, because 

 the dry calyx and bracts do not wither. The Romans, like the Greeks, wrote 

 Amarantus, which the early botanists incorrectly altered to Amaranthus.) — No 

 species is really indigenous in the Northern United States. 



§ 1. Flowers in terminal and amllary, simple or mostly panicled spikes : stem erect 



(l°-6° high) : leaves long-petioled ; stamens and sepals 5. 



* Flowers, mitch-branched panicles, Sfc., crimson or purple-tinged : the leaves (4' - 



10' long) mostly partaking of the same color : stem unarmed. 



1. A. HTPOCHONDKiACDS, L. (Peince's Feathee.) Smooth or smooth- 

 ish ; leaves oblong-laaceolato, acute or pointed ; spikes very obtuse, thick, crowd- 

 ed, the terminal one elongated ; bracts long-aumed ; fruit 2 - 3-cleJi at the apex, 

 longer than the calyx. — Earely spontaneous around gardens. (Virginia, ex L, ; 

 but doubtless adv. from Trop. Amer.) 



2. A. PAwicuLiTus, L. (Peinoe's Pbathee. Red Amaranth, &c.) 

 Stem mostly pubescent ; leaves oblong-ovate or ovate-lanceolate ; spikes aculish, 

 erect or spreading, rather dense, the terminal one not much larger ; bracts awn- 

 pointed ; fruit 2-3-toothed at the apex, longer than the calyx. — Flowers green, 

 tinged with red, or sometimes deep red or purple. (A. sanguineus, L.) — In 

 gardens, &c. (Adv. from Trop. Amer.) 



* * Flowers, ^c. green : stem unarmed. 



3. A. HYBKiDus, L. (Geeen Amaranth. Pigweed.) Leaves ovate- 

 oblong or ovate, acute, smooth, bright green, spikes erect, obtuse, in loosely 

 branched panicles, the terminal one longer; bracts awned, sometimes tinged 

 redf^ish ; f-uit 2 - 3-cleJi at the apex, nearly smooth, not exceeding the calyx. Waste 

 places and gardens ; common. (Virginia, L. ; but nat. from Trop. Amer.) 



4. A. chloeostA-Chts, "Willd. Leaves bright deep green, long-petioled, ovate 

 or rhombic-ovate ; spikes ascending, acute, crowded in an open panicle, the ter- 

 minal one long and often nodding ; bracts awn-pointed, roiber hnger than tlie calyx, 

 which is shorter than the 2 - S-toothed rugose fruit. — Around dwellings, southward. 

 Perhaps (with the preceding) no more than a variety of the next. (Adv. from 

 fcop. Amer.) 



5. A. EETEOFi,:fexns, L. (Pigweed.) Eoughisli and pubescent; leaves 

 pale or dull green, or rather glaucous, long-petioled, ovate or rhombic-ovate, un- 

 dulate ; spikes crowded in a stiff panicle, acutish, more or less spreading, grpen, 

 the terminal one shortish and erect ; bracts pointed, twice the length of the calyx, 

 which is longer than the rugose fruit. — Ai'ound dwellings, in manured soils. 

 (Adv. from Trop. Amer.) 



* * * Flowers, Src. greenish : stem armed with 2 spines in the axUs of the leaves. 



6. A. Spin6sus, L. (Thokny Ajmaeanth.) Smooth, bushy-branched; 

 stem reddish ; leaves rhombic-ovate or ovate-lanceolate, dull green ; terminal 

 spike elongated ; calyx about equalling the bracts and the fruit. — Waste places, 

 Pennsylvania, Ohio, and southward. (Adv. from Trop. Amer. !) 



