C. AMARANTACEiE. 
1231 
7. ACHYRANTHES, Linn. 
(Alluding to the chaffy nature of flowers). 
Flowers hermaphrodite. Perianth-segments 5, slightly unequal, hardened after 
flowering and erect, enclosing the fruit, usually glabrous. Stamens 5, united in 
a cup at the base, with as many small scales or staminodia between them. 
Anthers 2-celled. Ovary uniovulate. Style simple, with a capitate stigma. 
Fruit a membranous indehiscent utricle enclosed in the perianth. Seed solitary. 
— Herbs. Leaves opposite. Flowers green and rigid or rarely scarious, reflexed, 
in terminal heads or long spikes. Bracteoles subulate, rigid and often spinescent. 
The genus is widely distributed over the tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World. 
The only Australian species is a common weed over the whole range of the genus. 
1. A. aspera (rough), Linn.; Moq. in DC. Prod. xiii. ii. 314; Benth. FI. 
Austr. v. 246. An erect or spreading annual or biennial, with a hard almost 
woody base and branching stems of 2 or 3ft., more or less hoary as well as the 
foliage with a soft pubescence. Leaves shortly petiolate ovate, ovate-oblong or 
almost oblong, obtuse or shortly acuminate and acute, usually 1 to 2in. but 
sometimes 3in. long. Flowers of a shining green, in long slender but rigid 
terminal spikes. Perianth 1^ to nearly 2 lines long, closely reflexed after 
flowering. Bracteoles rigidly subulate or spinescent (but not spreading as in 
Xyssanthes), usually nearly as long as the perianth, but variable in length, dilated 
and scarious at the base. — Wight, Ic. PI. t. 1777 ; A. australis, R. Br. Prod. 417 ; 
Moq. in DC. Prod. xiii. ii. 313. 
Hab.: Islands of the Gulf of Carpentaria, It. Broun; Broadsound, R. Brown ; Albany Island, 
F. v. Mueller ; Cape York, Daemel ; Bockingham Bay, Dallachy ; Bockhampton, a common 
weed, O'Shanesij ; Nerkool Creek, Bowman; Moreton Bay, Leichhardt, F. v. Mueller. 
Var. canescens. This is more pubescent or hoary-villous, with thicker leaves and rather 
larger perianths, passing very gradually into the commoner forms. — Islands of the Gulf of 
Carpentaria, R. Brown. 
8. NYSSANTHES, R. Br. 
(Referring to the flowers being prickly). 
Flowers hermaphrodite. Perianth-segments 4, of which 2 upper ones smaller, 
all hardened after flowering and erect, enclosing the fruit, all or the 2 outer ones 
more or less spinescent. Stamens 2 or 4, united in a cup at the base, with as 
many short scales or staminodia between them. Anthers 2-celled. Ovary 
uniovulate. Style with a capitate stigma. Fruit a membranous indehiscent 
utricle, enclosed in the perianth. Seed solitary. — Herbs. Leaves opposite. 
Flowers green and rigid, very spreading or reflexed after flowering, in sessile 
head-like spikes or clusters, the bracts and bracteoles spinescent and very 
spreading. 
The genus is limited to Australia, differing slightly from Acliyranthes in its inflorescence, 
spreading bracts and constantly 4-merous flowers. — Benth. 
Stamens 4 1 . N. erecta. 
Stamens 2 2. N. diffusa. 
1. N. erecta (erect), B. Br. Prod. 418; Benth. FI. Austr. v. 247. Erec*' 
and probably 2ft. high or more, the upper flowering portion with spreading 
opposite dichotomous branches, the whole plant more or less pubescent with soft 
appressed hairs. Leaves elliptical-oblong or almost lanceolate, mostly acute, 
contracted into a short petiole, those on the main stem and the lower floral ones 
1 to 3in. long, the upper floral ones very small. Flowers in dense clusters or 
short spikes sessile in the upper axils and forks of the panicle, each flower sessile 
within a spinescent bract shortly dilated and scarious at the base, and 2 similar 
but smaller bracteoles very divaricate on the fruiting perianth. Perianth with 2 
outer segments about H line long but unequal, hairy, lanceolate, tapering into 
