AMAKANTACE^. (AMAKANTH FAMILY.) 369 



§ S. Flowers crowded in close and smalt aocillary dusters : stems spreading or ascend- 

 ing : stamens and sepals 3, or the farmer only 2. 



7. A. Albhs, L. Smooth, pale gi'een (J' -2' high); sterna whitish, mostly 

 spreading next the ground ; leaves long-petiolcd, obovate and spatulate-oblong, 

 very obtnse or retuse ; flowers greenish ; sepals mucronate, half the length of the 

 rugose fruit, much shorter than the rigid pungently pointed bracts. — Wast* 

 grounds, near towns, and road-sides : common. (Nat. from Trop. Amer. ?) 



A. MBLANCHdLicns, L., cultivated under the fanciful name of Love-libs- 

 Bleedino, is not spontaneous. 



2. El^XOLiUS, Raf. False Amaeanih. 



Flowers monoecious, or rarely perfect, 3-bracted. Calyx of 3 - 5 erect glar 

 brous sepals. Stamens 2-5, mostly 3. Stigmas 3. Fruit an ovate and often 

 rather fleshy 1-seeded utricle, which does not open or bursts irregularlj. Other- 

 wise much as in Amarantus. (Name said by the author to mean "well shut," 

 probably formed illegitimately of d, very, and oXoy, whole or entire.) 



1. E. LIVID0S, L. 5mooiA, Ziu/rf-purpfe ; stem thick, much branched ; leaves 

 ovate or oval, long-petioled ; axillary spikes or heads dense, much shorter than 

 the petioles, the terminal elongated ; sepals 3, much longer than the bracts, rather 

 shorter than the rugose fruit. ® (Amarantus lividus, L.) — Coast of Virginia 

 (according to Linnseus), and southward. (Adv. from Trop. Amer. 1] 



2. Et DEFLExns, Eaf. Minutdy pubescent; stems decumbent, or ascending 

 with deflexed branches (1° high); leaves rhombic-lanceolate; spikes oblong- 

 cylindrical ; sepals mostly 3, shorter than the smooth acutish fruit. (Amarantus 

 deflexuB, L.) — Waste places, Albany, New York, &c. (Adv. from Eu.) 



3. E. pumilns, Eaf. (Dwarf Amaeanth.) Low, very smooth, rather 

 fleshy ; leaves ovate, obtuse, slightly petioled, often purple-veined, mostly crowded 



at the end of the spreading branches ; flowers greenish and pui-ple, in small ax- 

 illary clusters ; bracts short, pointless ; stamens and sepals 5, the latter half the 

 length of the ovate obscurely 5-ribbed thickish fruit (which is not circumcissile, as 

 figured in Fl. N. Y.) (Amarantus pumilus, iJo/., Nutt.) — Sandy sea-shore. 

 Long Island to Virginia and southward. Aug., Sept. 



3. MONTELiIA, Moquin (under Acnida). 



Flowers dicecious, 2 -3-bracted. Staminate flowers of 5 thin oblong and 

 mucronate-tipped sepals, longer than the bracts, and as many stamens with ob- 

 long anthers ; the cells of the latter united only at the middle. Pistillate flow- 

 ers without any calyx, the lanceolate awl-pointed bracts longer than the 1-ovuled 

 ovary : stigmas 2-4, very long, bristle-awl-shaped, plumose-hispid. Fruit a 

 thin and membranaceous globular utricle, smooth and even, opening transverse- 

 ly around the middle ; the upper part falling oflf like a lid. Kadicle of the 

 annular embryo inferior. — An annual glabrous herb, mostly tall and erect, with 

 lanceolate or oblong-ovate alternate leaves, on long petioles, and small clusters 

 of oTcenish flowers, mostly crowded into elongated and panirled interrupted 

 spikes. (Probably a personal name.) 



