Amaranthus caudatus

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Amaranthus caudatus

Content

<<<<Female flowers>Tepals>Outer tepals>Shape>Length

1.5-2.8 mm long1
1. 006-002-002-001-001

<<<Female flowers>Tepals>Inner tepals>Growth form

recurved2
2. 006-002-003-003

<<<Female flowers>Tepals>Inner tepals>Shape

spathulate or oblong-spathulate3
3. 006-002-003-002

<<<Female flowers>Tepals>Inner tepals>Tepal number

44
4. 006-002-003-001

<<<Female flowers>Tepals>Outer tepals>Shape

elliptical or oblanceolate, , acute5
5. 006-002-002-001

<<<Male flowers>Tepals>Shape>Length

2.5-3.2 mm long6
6. 005-001-002-001

<<<Petiole>Blade>Apex>Hairs

glabrous or somewhat puberulent below7
7. 002-002-004-002

<<<Petiole>Blade>Apex>Shape

obtuse or acute8
8. 002-002-004-001

<<Female flowers>Style>Growth form

erect9
9. 006-003-002

<<Female flowers>Style>Style number

310
10. 006-003-001

<<Female flowers>Tepals>Inner tepals

inner tepals somewhat shorter than outer one, ,11
11. 006-002-003

<<Female flowers>Tepals>Outer tepals

outer one tepal12
12. 006-002-002

<<Female flowers>Tepals>Tepal number

513
13. 006-002-001

<<Habit>Indumentum>Colour

white14
14. 001-003-001

<<Habit>Stems>Colour

often red15
15. 001-002-001

<<Inflorescences>Bracts and bracteoles>Arista

rigid arista at apex.16
16. 003-003-004

<<Inflorescences>Bracts and bracteoles>Length

3.5 mm long17
17. 003-003-002

<<Inflorescences>Bracts and bracteoles>Midveins

midvein excurrent,18
18. 003-003-003

<<Inflorescences>Bracts and bracteoles>Shape

deltoid-ovate, lanceolate or lance-acuminate19
19. 003-003-001

<<Male flowers>Stamens>Stamen number

520
20. 005-002-001

<<Male flowers>Tepals>Shape

ovate to oblong, , acute21
21. 005-001-002

<<Male flowers>Tepals>Tepal number

522
22. 005-001-001

<<Petiole>Blade>Apex

apex , often of much smaller size just below inflorescence, .23
23. 002-002-004

<<Petiole>Blade>Colour

green to red or red-tinged24
24. 002-002-001

<<Petiole>Blade>Dimensions

(2.5-)6-20 x (1-)2-8 cm25
25. 002-002-003

<<Petiole>Blade>Shape

lanceolate, elliptical, ovate or rhomboid-ovate26
26. 002-002-002

<<Utricles>Seeds>Colour

variable in color, white, tawny, reddish-brown or black, dull or lustrous27
27. 007-004-003

<<Utricles>Seeds>Length

0.8-1.5 mm28
28. 007-004-002

<<Utricles>Seeds>Shape

subspherical or lenticular29
29. 007-004-001

<Female flowers>Flower number

more numerous30
30. 006-001

<Female flowers>Style

styles , .31
31. 006-003

<Female flowers>Tepals

tepals , , ;32
32. 006-002

<Flowers>Colour

green, white or reddish33
33. 004-001

<Flowers>Growth form

recurved at apex at maturity34
34. 004-002

<Habit>Height

to 2 m35
35. 001-001

<Habit>Indumentum

indument of stems, young leaves and inflorescence-axes pubescent with tangled hairs.36
36. 001-003

<Habit>Stems

stems ;37
37. 001-002

<Inflorescences>Bracts and bracteoles

bracts and bracteoles , , shorter than tepals,38
38. 003-003

<Inflorescences>Length

to 30(-50) cm long39
39. 003-002

<Inflorescences>Position

axillary clusters and massive, lax, tail-like (thus, "caudatus") terminal panicles or spikes40
40. 003-001

<Male flowers>Stamens

stamens .41
41. 005-002

<Male flowers>Tepals

tepals , ;42
42. 005-001

<Petiole>Blade

blade , , ,43
43. 002-002

<Petiole>Length

to 13 cm long44
44. 002-001

<Utricles>Length

2.0-2.5 mm, as long as or exceeding perianth45
45. 007-002

<Utricles>Seeds

seed , , .46
46. 007-004

<Utricles>Shape

ovoid-globose47
47. 007-001

<Utricles>Texture

smooth48
48. 007-003

Common Name

English (Suriname): diega kraroen

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).

Female flowers

Female flowers ;49
49. 006

Flowers

Flowers , at least some flowers with tepals .50
50. 004

Habit

Annual, monoecious, robust herb ;51
51. 001

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

Inflorescences

Inflorescence of small ;52
52. 003

Male flowers

Male flowers interspersed throughout inflorescence;53
53. 005

Petiole

Petiole , shorter than to as long as blade;54
54. 002

Utricles

Utricles circumscissile, , , or rugulose;55
55. 007