PECULIAR VARIETIES OF AMARANTHUS RETROFLEXUS. 
John H. Schaffnf.r. 
The development of large numbers of new varieties from 
cultivated plants is a matter of general observation. The similar 
origin of varieties from species which are not under the control 
of man is still a question with some. However, that a great 
number of new forms appear in the wild state becomes evident 
whenever one begins to study a flora with which he is more or 
less familiar. A study of the varieties present in the weeds and 
other plants of our cultivated fields and gardens should be of some 
importance since we are here dealing with plants growing under 
like conditions as our domesticated species but which have not 
been subject to selection by man. 
Fig. 1. Leaves of Amaranthus retroflexus. 
The writer has made some study of our common weedy Amar¬ 
anths and finds that there are a number of species showing distinct 
varieties. One of the most interesting of these is the common 
Rough Pigweed, Amaranthus retroflexus. This plant has a wide 
distribution in North America and is abundant in fields, gardens, 
and waste places. It is considered as an immigrant from tropical 
America, but whether in historical times or not is not known to 
the writer. The leaf characters of this plant are very diverse. 
There are different types of texture as well as markings. It is 
only the most striking of the leaf markings that will be consid¬ 
ered here. 
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