PORTULACACEAE— AMARANTACEAE 



Cerastium — Chick weed 



(Gr. kerastion, little horn, from the form of the pod) 

 Leaves ovate, soft-hairy; petals shorter than calyx C. vulgdtum 



Portulacaceae — Purslane Family 



Fleshy herbs; sepals 2, rarely S, petals 4-5, stamens 4-30, ovary 1-celled, style usually 3-cleft ; 

 flower syncarpous, apopetalous, hypogynous, somewhat irregular. 



Portulaca — Purslane, Moss Rose 



(L.at. portulaca, purslane) 



1. Leaves flat, wedge-shaped; flowers 5-6 mm. wide, yellow P. olerdcea 



2. Leaves round, linear ; flowers 3-5 cm., many-colored P. grandiflora 



Mollugaceae — Carpetweed Family 

 Low herbs with opposite or whorled leaves ; sepals 5, petals 0, stamens 3, 5 or more, ovary 3-5- 

 celled, stigmas 3, fruit a capsule; flower syncarpous, apetalous, hypogynous, regular. 



Mollugo — Carpetweed 



(Lat. mollis, soft, from its carpet-like nature) 

 Leaves spatulate, whorled ; sepals white inside M . verticilldla 



Amarantaceae — Amaranth Family 

 Herbs with simple leaves; sepals 5, rarely 3, petals 0, stamens 5, rarely fewer, pistil 1-celled, 

 stigmas 2-3, fruit a utricle; flower syncarpous, apetalous, sometimes monoecious or dioecious, hy- 

 pogynous, regular. 



1. Leaves alternate 



a. Bracts greenish; flowers imperfect 



(1) Pistillate flowers with calyx Amarantus 



(2) Pistillate flowers without calyx Acnida 



b. Bracts colored ; flowers perfect Celosia 



2. Leaves opposite 



a. Flower cluster a dense terminal head Gomphrena 



b. Flowers in small terminal and axillary clusters 



(1) Leaves lanceolate to spatulate; stamens 5, staminoids 5 Telanthera 



(2) Leaves broad-ovate or orbicular; stamens 5 Iresine 



Amarantus — Amaranth 



(Gr. amarantos, unfading, from the papery bracts) 



1. Flowers in dense terminal clusters 



a. Spikes red, drooping A. cauddtus: prince's 



feather 



b. Spikes green, erect 



(1) Spikes 8-16 mm. thick A. retro fl exits: pigweed 



(2) Spikes 4-6 mm. thick A. hybridus 



2. Flowers in small axillary clusters 



a. Erect, bushy; sepals 3 A. graecizans 



h. Prostrate, spreading; sepals 4-5 A. bliloides 



Acnida — Water-hemp 



(Gr. a-, without, knide, nettle, the bracts not spiny) 

 Leaves lanceolate, entire; flowers green A. tamariscina 



Celosia — Cockscomb 



(Gr. kelos, burning, dry, from the color or texture of the flowers) 



1. Spikes comb-like C. cristdta 



2. Spikes plumy to cylindric C. argentea 



Gomphrena — Globe Amaranth, Everlasting 



(Of doubtful origin and meaning) 

 Leaves oblong, sessile ; heads round, crimson to white G . globosa 



