!00 AMARANTIIACKJ.. 



with 5 membranaceous oblong sepals and 5 short stamens. 

 Fertile flowers with 3 acute sepals and a 3 to 5-anglcd 

 ovary bearing 3 to 5 linear revolute stigmas. Fruit a 3 to 

 5-anglcd coriaceous acbenia. Seeds vertical, compressed. — 

 Smooth and tall annuals, with Imceolate and acuminate entire peii- 

 oled leaves, and clustered sessile flowers crowded in axillary and ter- 

 minal spikes or panicles. 



A. CANNABINA, L. Common Water Jlemp. 



Leaves elongated-lasfceolate, tapering to a loug mostly obtuse point; frxeii acute- 

 ahgled. pmnoth. 



lJrftcki<]i swampg, common. Jul}', Autr. Stem 3 to 6 feet Ugh, slightly anglod. 

 Leaves alternate, ribbed, 2 to 5 inches Ion,j. Ftowtrs email, green, is large axillary 

 and terminal panicles. 



4. BETA, Linn. Beet. 



Celtic leit, red, the usual color of the leefc. 



Calyx 5-scpaled. Stamens 5. Styles 2, very short, 

 erect, with acute stigmas. S-eed reniform, embedded in the 

 fleshy calyx — Biennial*, with farrowed stems, alternate leaves, 

 and glomerate green flowers in spikes or paniculate racemes. 



1. B. vulgaris, L. Common Beet. 



Lower leaves ovate ; ro t So -hv : jlow.rs in dense, sessile, axillary clusters. Na- 

 tive of South BaropC*. Much cultivat d for th3 table. Th^roarc several varioties, 

 of which the purple-leaved is the most esteemed for the kii,ehcn,and fche green-leav- 

 ed ibr extracting t ugar. 



2. B. ClCLA, L. Scnrcift;. Mavyel- VAirizel. 



Zeares with very thick veins; Jloivers 3 together. Native of Portugal. Loot- 

 leaves stalked, those of the stem Fessile. Flowers green, nuru:ro"8 : in very long 

 Bpikes. The variety Soureitg has vary large lexve=;, with but a small rro", used as 

 a sa'aL &'. The varfety M^uigel-WurUel has t\ very large root, and is much culti- 

 vated as f>-d for cattle, f^r whibh purpose it is Lighiy prized. 



Order 87. AHABANTEAQEEl.— Amaranth Family. 



Herlis, rarely iJirvb*, vdA appetite or alternate leaver, izilhout stim-les and jlovxrt 

 in heids or spiers uutaliy colored, imbricated tail'i dry and scarious persistent bracts 

 vzhich are usually colored-, the scjt.'s very similar. Sepals 3 to b. SlAitfWl i,vr 

 poms multhile of 6. Ovauy J, free, 1 or few ovtxlcd. Style lortione. St.gkas *>l»a- 

 p'»3 or coiapoaud. Fr.oii' a utricle. Ss:-.es penduloue. 



1. AMARANTIIUS, Linn. Amaranth. 



Gr. a, not, maraino, to wither, and anthos, Cower. 



Flowers monoecious or polygamous, rarely dioecious, 3- 

 tracted. Sepals 3 to 5. Stamens 3 to 5, separate : an- 



