AMARANTHUS VIRIDIS

Family:- AMARANTHACEAE

Common Names:- Waterleaf.

Synonyms:- Euxolus viridis, Glomeraria viridis, Pyxidium viride.

Meaning:- Amaranthus (Gr) Unfading, reference to the everlasting flowers.

Viridis (L) Youthful, fresh-green.

General description:- Erect annual.

Stems:-

a) up to 70 cm.

b) procumbent to erect.

c) hairless (glabrous) or slightly hairy above.

d) with long branches from the base.

Leaves:-

a) 3-8 x 2-5 cm.

b) ovate-rhombic, somewhat notched at the apex (emarginate), ending abruptly in

a very short, stiff straight point (mucronulate).

c) long-stalked (petiolate), usually longer than the blade.

d) with a fine wavy margin (undulate).

e) prominently white-veined beneath.

Flowers:-

1) Terminal inflorescence:

a) a long, thin ± flexuous, leafless pseudo-spike or panicle.

2) Bracteoles:

a) c. 1 mm.

b) shorter than the perianth.

c) ovate, narrowing gradually to a point (acuminate), membranous.

3) Perianth segments:

a) 3, 1-1.5 mm.

b) weakly spatulate, usually acuminate.

c) whitish with a green midvein.

Fruit:-

1) Capsule:

a) when, rounded to pear-shaped (pyriform), slightly beaked.

b) strongly wrinkled and folded.

c) not splitting open to release their seeds (indehiscent).

2) Seed:

a) completely filling the fruit cavity.

Key features:-

1) Fruit strongly muricate, subglobose.

2) Stems sometimes puberulent above.

Habitat:- Roadsides, olive groves, wasteground and trampled areas. 0-400(-800) m.

Distribution:- Coastal areas throughout Greece. Probably native to South America,

widely naturalised elsewhere. Fairly common and widespread around the coastal

areas of Crete.

Flowering time:- May-Oct.

Photos by:- An Other