Amaranthus muricatus
Amaranthus crispus
African amaranth, muricate amaranth
crisp-leaf amaranth
ascending or prostrate, much-branched from stout rootstock, 0.1–0.4 m. Leaves: petiole to 1/2 as long as blade;
blade linear to narrowly lanceolate, 1.5–8 × 0.2–0.5(–1) mm, base tapering, margins entire, plane to undulate, apex obtuse and often emarginate.
prostrate to ascending, branched mainly from base, 0.1–0.4(–0.5) m. Leaves: petiole shorter than blade;
blade rhombic-ovate to oblong, 0.5–1.5(–2.5) × 0.3–0.8(–1.5) cm, base cuneate, margins crisped-erose, conspicuously undulate, apex acute to subobtuse, with short mucro.
of pistillate flowers linear, 0.7–1.2 mm, 1/2–2/3 as long as tepals.
lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 1.2–1.7 mm, ± equaling or slightly shorter than tepals.
terminal, compact pyramidal panicles and axillary glomerules, erect or reflexed, green, leafless at least distally.
axillary glomerules, green, axes not thickened, not indurage at maturity.
intermixed with pistillate or at tips of inflorescences;
tepals 5;
stamens 5.
intermixed with pistillate;
tepals 5;
stamens 5.
tepals 5, narrowly oblanceolate, not clawed, equal, 1.5–2 mm, apex obtuse or subacute;
style branches erect;
stigmas 3.
tepals 5, spatulate-oblong, equal to subequal, 1.2–1.7 mm, margins entire, apex rounded to subacute;
style branches spreading;
stigmas 3, sessile.
black, lenticular, 1–1.2 mm diam., semiglossy.
black to dark reddish brown, lenticular to obovoid-lenticular, 0.7–1 mm diam., smooth.
compressed, subglobose, 1.7–2 mm, ± equaling or slightly exceeding tepals, muricate, indehiscent.
ellipsoid or obovoid, 1.5–2 mm, slightly longer than tepals, smooth to slightly wrinkled, indehiscent.
Amaranthus muricatus
Amaranthus crispus
The vernacular name “African amaranth” is sometimes used for this species; it is a misnomer; the species is native to South America and naturalized in Africa.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
