Tropical Amaranth

Amaranthus berlandieri (Moq.) Uline & Bray, Bot. Gaz. 19:
268. 1894.
Sarratia Berlandieri Moq. in DC. Prodr. 13 2 ; 268. 1849.
Stems slender, fleshy, ascending or prostrate, 5-30 cm. long, much branched from the base, villoustomentose, especially about the inflorescence; leaves crowded near the ends of the stems, soon deciduous below, the petioles 3-11 mm. long, the blades oblong-lanceolate to oblanceolate, 6-20 mm. long, broadly rounded at the apex or obtuse and usually emarginate, cuneate at the base and decurrent, , glabrous, or sparsely pubescent when young, bright-green; flowers monoecious, in dense several-flowered sessile axillary clusters; bracts lanceolate, spinetipped, usually half as long as the sepals or less; sepals of the pistillate flowers spatulate, 2 mm. long, rounded at the apex, united for one third their length, the tube not constricted; sepals of the staminate flowers lance-oblong, acuminate; stamens 2; style-branches 3; utricle turbinate, thin-walled, indehiscent, about equaling the sepals; seed obovoid, black and shining, 0.8 mm.long.
Type locality: Between San Antonio, Texas, and Matamoros, TamauKpas. Distribution : Central and western Texas.

Amaranthus polygonoides L. PL Jam. Piigill. 27. 1759
Roemeria polygonoides Moench, Meth. 341. 1794.
Amblogyna polygonoides Raf. Fl. Tell. 3: 42. 1837.
Albersia polygonoides Kunth, Fl. Berol. ed. 2. 2: 144. . 1838.
Amaranthus verticillatus Pavon; Moq. in DC. Prodr. 13 2 : 270, as synonym. 1849.
Sarratia polygonoides Moq. in DC. Prodr. 13 2 : 270, as synonym. 1849.
Stems slender, ascending or spreading, 1-5 dm. long, much branched from the base, villous about the inflorescence; leaves rather distant, not crowded, the petioles 2-7 mm. long, slender, the blades 0.6-2 cm. long, rhombic-ovate to obovate or oval, obtuse to subtruncate and usually emarginate at the apex, acute or cuneate at the base and decurrent, pale-green, glabrous, or sparsely pubescent beneath; flowers monoecious, in dense sessile several-flowered axillary clusters; bracts lanceolate, acuminate, half as long as the sepals or less; sepals of the pistillate flowers spatulate, erect, obtuse or rounded, often apiculate, 3-nerved, scarious, Pam 2, 1917] AMARANTHACEA3 105
i
united at the base; sepals of the staminate flowers oblong, acute; stamens 2 or 3; style-branches 2 or 3; utricle ovoid or turbinate, circumscissile, thin-walled; seed black or dark-brown, shining, 0.6-0.9 mm. in diameter.
Type locality: Jamaica.
Distribution: Florida, Texas, and the West Indies; Mexico to northern South America.