Amaranthus caudatus
Content
- <<<<Female flowers>Tepals>Outer tepals>Shape>Length
- <<<Female flowers>Tepals>Inner tepals>Growth form
- <<<Female flowers>Tepals>Inner tepals>Shape
- <<<Female flowers>Tepals>Inner tepals>Tepal number
- <<<Female flowers>Tepals>Outer tepals>Shape
- <<<Male flowers>Tepals>Shape>Length
- <<<Petiole>Blade>Apex>Hairs
- <<<Petiole>Blade>Apex>Shape
- <<Female flowers>Style>Growth form
- <<Female flowers>Style>Style number
- <<Female flowers>Tepals>Inner tepals
- <<Female flowers>Tepals>Outer tepals
- <<Female flowers>Tepals>Tepal number
- <<Habit>Indumentum>Colour
- <<Habit>Stems>Colour
- <<Inflorescences>Bracts and bracteoles>Arista
- <<Inflorescences>Bracts and bracteoles>Length
- <<Inflorescences>Bracts and bracteoles>Midveins
- <<Inflorescences>Bracts and bracteoles>Shape
- <<Male flowers>Stamens>Stamen number
- <<Male flowers>Tepals>Shape
- <<Male flowers>Tepals>Tepal number
- <<Petiole>Blade>Apex
- <<Petiole>Blade>Colour
- <<Petiole>Blade>Dimensions
- <<Petiole>Blade>Shape
- <<Utricles>Seeds>Colour
- <<Utricles>Seeds>Length
- <<Utricles>Seeds>Shape
- <Female flowers>Flower number
- <Female flowers>Style
- <Female flowers>Tepals
- <Flowers>Colour
- <Flowers>Growth form
- <Habit>Height
- <Habit>Indumentum
- <Habit>Stems
- <Inflorescences>Bracts and bracteoles
- <Inflorescences>Length
- <Inflorescences>Position
- <Male flowers>Stamens
- <Male flowers>Tepals
- <Petiole>Blade
- <Petiole>Length
- <Utricles>Length
- <Utricles>Seeds
- <Utricles>Shape
- <Utricles>Texture
- Common Name
- Description
- Distribution
- Female flowers
- Flowers
- Habit
- Individuals Association
- Inflorescences
- Male flowers
- Petiole
- Utricles
<<Female flowers>Tepals>Inner tepals
inner tepals somewhat shorter than outer one, ,11
11. 006-002-003
<<Inflorescences>Bracts and bracteoles>Shape
deltoid-ovate, lanceolate or lance-acuminate19
19. 003-003-001
<<Petiole>Blade>Apex
apex , often of much smaller size just below inflorescence, .23
23. 002-002-004
<<Utricles>Seeds>Colour
variable in color, white, tawny, reddish-brown or black, dull or lustrous27
27. 007-004-003
<Habit>Indumentum
indument of stems, young leaves and inflorescence-axes pubescent with tangled hairs.36
36. 001-003
<Inflorescences>Position
axillary clusters and massive, lax, tail-like (thus, "caudatus") terminal panicles or spikes40
40. 003-001
Description
Annual, monoecious, robust herb to 2 m; stems often red; indument of stems, young leaves and inflorescence-axes pubescent with tangled white hairs. Petiole to 13 cm long, shorter than to as long as blade; blade green to red or red-tinged, lanceolate, elliptical, ovate or rhomboid-ovate, (2.5-)6-20 x (1-)2-8 cm, apex obtuse or acute, often of much smaller size just below inflorescence, glabrous or somewhat puberulent below. Inflorescence of small axillary clusters and massive, lax, tail-like (thus, "caudatus") terminal panicles or spikesto 30(-50) cm long; bracts and bracteoles deltoid-ovate, lanceolate or lance-acuminate, 3.5 mm long, shorter than tepals, midvein excurrent, rigid arista at apex. Flowers green, white or reddish, at least some flowers with tepals recurved at apex at maturity. Male flowers interspersed throughout inflorescence; tepals 5, ovate to oblong, 2.5-3.2 mm long, acute; stamens 5. Female flowers more numerous; tepals 5, outer one tepal elliptical or oblanceolate, 1.5-2.8 mm long, acute, inner 4 tepals somewhat shorter than outer one, spathulate or oblong-spathulate, recurved; styles 3, erect. Utricles circumscissile, ovoid-globose, 2.0-2.5 mm, as long as or exceeding perianth, smooth or rugulose; seed subspherical or lenticular, 0.8-1.5 mm, variable in color, white, tawny, reddish-brown or black, dull or lustrous.
Distribution
Andes Mts present, Guianas present present, South America present
Origin probably in the Andes Mts. of South America; cultivated as a grain or ornamental and locally escaped throughout the temperate and tropical zones; in the Guianas, the status is usually presumed as an escape from cultivation in former times and now naturalized as a weed; 11 collections examined, 5 from the Guianas (SU: 4; FG: 1).
Individuals Association
Suriname, Lower Saramacca R. near Catharina Sophia Plantation, Lanjouw 280
Suriname, Bakhuis Mts., between Kabalebo and Coppename Rs., Kabalebo Airstrip, Florschütz & Maas 2675
Saül, abattis de St. Helene, Gely 74
Suriname, Kayser Airstrip, 45 km above confluence of Lucie R., Irwin et al. 57511