144 



AMARANTHACEjE. 



Amaranthus. 



2. Amaranthus gr/ecizans, Linn. Bushy Amaranth. 



Stem obtusely angular, smooth, erect, with numerous spreading branches ; leaves obovate 

 and spatulate-oblong, retuse, mucronate ; flowers triandrous, in small axillary clusters ; bracts 

 twice as long as the flowers ; calyx rugose. — Linn. sp. 2. p. 990 ; Willd. I. c. p. 8. t. 4. 

 /. 7 ; Pursh,fl. I. p. 207. A. albus, Willd. I. c. t. l.f. 2 ? ; Pursh, I c. ; Beck, hot. p. 382; 

 Barlingt.fi. Cest. p. 526; Hook. Jl. Bor.-Am. 2. p. 125. A. Blitum, Bigel.fi. Bost. 

 p. 343, not of Linn. 



Annual. Stem 1-3 feet high, pale green or whitish ; the branches usually almost horizon- 

 tal. Leaves about an inch long, very obtuse or emarginate, tipped with a short bristle, narrowed 

 at the base into a longish petiole, smoothish ; those of the branches smaller and more spatulate 

 than the lower ones. Flowers very numerous, pale green ; the bracts at the base subulate 

 and spinescent. Sepals oblong, mucronate. Utricle thin, dehiscing near the middle. Seed 

 as in the preceding species. 



Cultivated grounds, waste grounds and road-sides ; common. August - September. An 

 introduced plant, which has perhaps wandered from the South. 



3. Amaranthus pumilus, Raf. (PI. XCIII.) Dwarf or Seaside Amaranth. 



Very smooth ; stem diffuse ; leaves ovate, obtuse, fleshy, a little rugose ; flowers in axillary 

 clusters, pentandrous ; calyx 5-sepalled ; bracts short, unarmed ; utricle smoothish. — Raf> 

 in N. York med. repos 2. p. 360 ; Nutt. gen. 2. p. 210 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 580 ; Torr. comp. 

 p. 353 ; Beck, hot. p. 295. 



Annual. Stem scarcely rising from the ground, but spreading out on all sides. Leaves 

 about three-fourths of an inch long, bright shining green, with the veins more or less purplish, 

 often emarginate, mostly clustered toward the extremity of the branches. Flowers greenish 

 and purple, sessile, in somewhat crowded clusters. Sepals linear- spatulate. Stamens 5. 

 Utricle oblong-ovoid, opening near the middle. Seed lenticular-ovoid. 



Sandy seacoast of New-Jersey, particularly on the beach near Babylon. Fl. August - 

 September. 



** Albersia, Kunth. Utricle indehiscent. 



4. Amaranthus deflexus, Willd. ? Prostrate Amaranth. 



Stem prostrate, branching from the base, pubescent ; leaves rhombic-ovate, rather acute, 

 undulate on the margin, minutely pubescent and roughish ; glomerules axillary, few-flowered, 

 sessile ; flowers 3 - 5-androus ; bracts short, not spinescent ; utricle smoothish. — Willd. I. c. 

 p. 18. t. 3.f. 16 ; Pers. syn. 2. p. 560? 



Annual. Stems numerous, slender, about a foot long. Leaves about three-fourths of an 

 inch long, strongly waved on the margin, prominently veined underneath, tapering at the base 



