Amaranthus deflexus |
Amaranthus |
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largefruit amaranth |
amaranth |
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Habit | Herbs annual, occasionally short-lived perennial, monoecious, glabrous or pubescent. | |
Stems | prostrate to erect, branched, occasionally simple. |
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Leaves | alternate; blades ovate to linear; flat; midveins extending to short spine or awn at tip; margins entire; flat or crisped; tips acute, obtuse or rounded; petioles present. |
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Inflorescences | terminal and axillary spikes or panicles with flowers densely clustered, or rarely axillary with solitary flowers; bracts leaf-like, often spine-tipped. |
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Flowers | unisexual, staminate and pistillate flowers typically distinct; perianth segments membranous or scarious. |
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Staminate flowers | perianth segments (2)3–5, scarious; stamens (1)2–5; filaments free. |
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Pistillate flowers | perianth segments (1)3–5; ovules 1; styles 0; stigmas 2–3, persistent. |
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Fruits | utricles; ovoid to obovoid, usually smooth; walls thin and membranous. |
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Seeds | lenticular to ± spherical, usually dark reddish brown to black; smooth; shiny. |
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Amaranthus deflexus |
Amaranthus |
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Distribution | ||
Discussion | Worldwide. ~70 species; 6 species treated in Flora. Amaranthus species have long been cultivated as cereal grains and ornamentals. Several cultivated and exotic species are known as short-lived waifs in Oregon: A. deflexus, A. hypochondriacus, and A. viridus. |
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Source | Flora of Oregon, volume 2, page 64 Bridget Chipman |
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Sibling taxa | ||
Subordinate taxa | ||
Web links |
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