484: ORDER XCIX. AMARANTHACE.E. 



Order XCIX.— AMARANTHA'CE^E. (Amaranth Family) 



Perianth 2 — 5-leaved, hypogynous, persistent. Stamens 

 3 — 5. Styles 2 — 8. Ovary superior, 1-celied, 1-seeded. Seeds 

 pendulous. Embryo curved. Herbaceous plants, with simple 

 leaves. Flowers monoecious. 



Genus L— IRE'SINE. Willd. 20—5. 

 (From eiros, wool, referring to the woolly branches.) 



Flowers dioecious. Sterile florets ; perianth double, exterior 

 one 2 — 3-leaved, the interior 5-leaved, petaloid. Stamens 5, 

 with glands between the filaments. Fertile florets ; the inner 

 perianth surrounded by long hair. Stigmas 2. Capsule ovate, 

 1-celled, 1-seeded. 



1. I. celosioi'des, (Willd.) Stem erect, glabrous, with opposite 

 branches, fistulous, furrowed. Leaves opposite, attenuate at the sum- 

 mit, lanceolate, irregularly serrate, swollen at the joints. — 0. Sept. 

 — Oct. On the sea-coast. 2 — 4 feet. 



Genus II.— ACHYRAN'THES. L. 15—5. 

 (From achuron, chaff, and antlios, a flower, from the appearance of the floral leaves.) 



Perianth double, exterior one 3-leaved, the interior 5-leaved, 

 unequal. Stamens 5, sitting on a nectary. Style 1. Capsule 

 1-celled, 1-seeded. 



1. A. ke'pens, (Dill.) Stem procumbent, hairy. Leaves opposite, 

 usually unequal, lanceolate, somewhat hairy beneath. Flowers in ses- 

 sile, ovate heads, somewhat 3-angled ; the interior calyx hairy near the 

 base ; the two interior sepals smaller than the others, hairy at the sum- 

 mit. — 2f . March — Oct. Cultivated grounds. Low country. 



Telanthera polygonioides, Mich. Forty-knot. 



Genus III— AMARANTHUS. L. 19—5. 



(From a, privative, and rnaraino, to wither, in allusion to the long time the colors 

 are bright.) 



Flowers monoecious. Sterile florets. Calyx 3 — 5-leaved. 

 Stamens 3 or 5. Fertile florets 3 — 5-leaved. Styles 3. Cap- 

 sule 1-celled, 1-seeded. 



1. A. hypocondria'cus, (L.) Stem erect, glabrous, furrowed. Leaves 

 large, oblong, lanceolate, entire, red or purple, on long petioles. Flow- 

 ers in compound paniculate racemes. Perianth purple, 5-leaved. 

 Stamens 5. Styles 3. — %. June — Oct. Cultivated grounds. 4 — 8 feet. 



2. A. hyb'ridus, (L.) Stem erect. Leaves ovate-lanceolate. Flow- 

 ers in compound racemes, crowded, pentandrous. Perianth consisting 

 of e>ubulate leaves. — 0. June — Sept. About cultivated grounds. 

 2—3 feet. 



