Species: Amaranthus viridis
English Name: Green Amaranth
Chinese Name: 綠莧、野莧、皺果莧
Family: Amaranthaceae
Description:
Stem erect, green or somewhat tinged purple, 40-80 cm tall, conspicuously angulate, slightly branched, glabrous. Petiole 3-6 cm, green or somewhat tinged purple; leaf blade ovate, ovate-oblong, or ovate-elliptic, 3-9 × 2.5-6 cm, base broadly cuneate or subtruncate, margin entire or slightly undulate, apex notched or rounded, with a pointed mucro. Complex thyrsoid structures terminal, 6-12 × 1.5-3 cm, branched, composed of spikes; spikes erect, slender, terminal ones longer than lateral ones; rachis 2-2.5 cm. Bracts and bracteoles lanceolate, shorter than 1 mm, apex pointed. Tepals oblong or broadly oblanceolate, 1.2-1.5 mm, apex acute. Stamens shorter than perianth; stigmas 3 or 2. Utricles green, longer than perianth, globose, slightly compressed, ca. 2 mm in diam., very rugose, indehiscent. Seeds black or brownish black, subglobose, ca. 1 mm in diam. Fl. Jun-Aug, fr. Aug-Oct. 2n = 34.
Photos used under a Creative Commons license
References:
– Wu ZY, Raven PH, Hong DY (eds) (2003). Flora of China, Volume 5: Ulmaceae through Basellaceae. Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Bot Garden Press, St. Louis