AMARANTHUS QUITENSIS
Common Names:- Mucronate amaranth
Synonyms:- Amaranthus hybridus subsp. quitensis
Meaning:- Amaranthus (Gr) Unfading, reference to the everlasting flowers.
Quitensis (L) From Quito, Ecuador.
General description:- Erect annual.
Stems:-
a) 30-100 cm.
b) sparsely pubescent to almost hairless (glabrous).
Leaves:-
a) 3-8 cm.
b) long-petiolate.
c) rhombic-ovate.
Flowers:-
1) Inflorescence:
a) green with a pale brownish glistening sheen of the male flowers.
b) terminal spike often not distinctly longer than the usually numerous, patent-
spreading, dense-flowered lateral branches.
2) Bracteoles:
a) thin c. 3-4 mm.
b) 1.2-1.5 times as long as the flowers.
c) narrowly lanceolate to nearly needle-shaped (acicular).
3) Perianth segments
a) 5, c. 2 mm.
b) lanceolate-oblong, the inner ones distinctly obtuse to narrowly spathulate, with
a green midrib continued into a sharp terminal point (aptical mucro).
Fruit:-
1) Capsule:
a) somewhat shorter than or equalling the perianth.
b) weakly wrinkled.
c) splitting transversely.
2) Seed:
a) c. 1 mm.
b) black.
Key features:-
1) Inflorescence not pendent, pale brownish-green, usually with many lateral, patent
branches.
2) Perianth segments not overlapping.
Habitat:- Fields, vegetable gardens and ruderal habitats, mainly in coastal areas. 0-
250 m.
Distribution:- Scattered and fairly rare in Greece. Native of South America.
becoming naturalised in the Mediterranean. On Crete currently known from only two
locations in the east.
Flowering time:- May-Nov
Photos by:- An Other