Amaranthus dubius

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Amaranthus dubius

Content

<<<Female flowers>Tepals>Shape>Length

1.3-2 mm long1
1. 005-002-002-001

<<Female flowers>Style>Style number

2-32
2. 005-003-001

<<Female flowers>Tepals>Shape

oblong, , obtuse to acute3
3. 005-002-002

<<Female flowers>Tepals>Tepal number

54
4. 005-002-001

<<Habit>Stems>Colour

green to pink5
5. 001-002-001

<<Habit>Stems>Hairs

glabrous to sparsely puberulent6
6. 001-002-002

<<Inflorescences>Bracts and bracteoles>Shape

lanceolate, ovate or obovate7
7. 003-003-001

<<Male flowers>Stamens>Stamen number

5(4)8
8. 004-003-001

<<Male flowers>Tepals>Length

1.7-2 mm long9
9. 004-002-003

<<Male flowers>Tepals>Shape

oblong-elliptical10
10. 004-002-002

<<Male flowers>Tepals>Tepal number

511
11. 004-002-001

<<Petiole>Blade>Dimensions

2-9(-17) x 1-6(-11) cm12
12. 002-001-002

<<Petiole>Blade>Margin type

entire or somewhat crenulate13
13. 002-001-003

<<Petiole>Blade>Shape

ovate, rhombic to lanceolate14
14. 002-001-001

<<Utricles>Seeds>Colour

dark reddish-brown or black, lustrous15
15. 006-004-003

<<Utricles>Seeds>Shape

cochleate-orbicular or lenticular16
16. 006-004-001

<<Utricles>Seeds>Width

0.7-1.1 mm wide17
17. 006-004-002

<Female flowers>Position

in axillary clusters and on lower portion of terminal inflorescence18
18. 005-001

<Female flowers>Style

styles .19
19. 005-003

<Female flowers>Tepals

tepals , , often emarginate and mucronate;20
20. 005-002

<Habit>Height

2 m21
21. 001-001

<Habit>Stems

stems , .22
22. 001-002

<Inflorescences>Bracts and bracteoles

bracts and bracteoles , much shorter than tepals, midrib prominent.23
23. 003-003

<Inflorescences>Length

5-20(-25) cm long24
24. 003-002

<Inflorescences>Position

axillary clusters and drooping terminal spikes or panicles25
25. 003-001

<Male flowers>Position

mostly in apical portion of terminal inflorescence26
26. 004-001

<Male flowers>Stamens

stamens .27
27. 004-003

<Male flowers>Tepals

tepals , , , often mucronate;28
28. 004-002

<Petiole>Blade

blade , , .29
29. 002-001

<Utricles>Length

1.5-2.5 mm long30
30. 006-001

<Utricles>Seeds

seed , , .31
31. 006-004

<Utricles>Shape

obtuse or truncate at apex32
32. 006-002

<Utricles>Texture

roughly wrinkled or rugulose, smooth below33
33. 006-003

Common Name

Creole (French Guiana): epinard, zergon English (Guyana): calalu, caterpillar calalu, chowri English (Suriname): claroen, klaroen

Description

Erect, monoecious, annual herb 2 m, sometimes becoming much branched, stout and succulent; stems green to pink, glabrous to sparsely puberulent. Petiole shorter than to longer than blade; blade ovate, rhombic to lanceolate, 2-9(-17) x 1-6(-11) cm, entire or somewhat crenulate. Inflorescence of axillary clusters and drooping terminal spikes or panicles, 5-20(-25) cm long; bracts and bracteoles lanceolate, ovate or obovate, much shorter than tepals, midrib prominent. Male flowers mostly in apical portion of terminal inflorescence; tepals 5, oblong-elliptical, 1.7-2 mm long, often mucronate; stamens 5(4). Female flowers in axillary clusters and on lower portion of terminal inflorescence; tepals 5, oblong, 1.3-2 mm long, obtuse to acute, often emarginate and mucronate; styles 2-3. Utricle indehiscent to circumscissile, subequal to slightly exceeding perianth, 1.5-2.5 mm long, obtuse or truncate at apex, roughly wrinkled or rugulose, smooth below, often with apparent line of dehiscence; seed cochleate-orbicular or lenticular, 0.7-1.1 mm wide, dark reddish-brown or black, lustrous.

Distribution

French Guiana present, Guianas present, Guyana present, Pantropical present, tropical America present
Originally tropical America, now pantropical; weed in disturbed areas, or rarely cultivated for the edible leaves in Guyana and French Guiana; 14 collections studied, all from the Guianas (GU: 5; SU: 4; FG: 5).

Female flowers

Female flowers ;34
34. 005

Habit

Erect, monoecious, annual herb , sometimes becoming much branched, stout and succulent;35
35. 001

Individuals Association

Suriname, Lelydorpplan, Dirven LP468 Vicinity of Cayenne, Broadway 114 Suriname, Paramaribo, Archer 2683 Cayenne, Jacquemin 2216 Guyana, Mahaica, Hitchcock 16771 Ile Royale, Iles du Salut, Cremers 8454 Guyana, Coast regions, Jenman 5339 Guyana, Georgetown, Promenade Gardens, Hitchcock 16609

Inflorescences

Inflorescence of , ;36
36. 003

Male flowers

Male flowers ;37
37. 004

Petiole

Petiole shorter than to longer than blade;38
38. 002

Uses

Cultivated for the leaves, which are prepared and eaten as a spinach-like vegetable, in Guyana (Omawale & Persaud 79), Suriname (where sold in Paramaribo markets as greens) (Archer 2677a) and French Guiana (Jacquemin 2216).

Utricles

Utricle indehiscent to circumscissile, subequal to slightly exceeding perianth, , , , often with apparent line of dehiscence;39
39. 006