Species: Amaranthus blitum
English Name: Emarginate Amaranth
Chinese Name: 凹頭莧
Family: Amaranthaceae
Description:
Stem ascending, light green or purple, 10-30 cm tall, branched from base, glabrous. Petiole 1-3.5 cm; leaf blade ovate or ovate-rhombic, 1.5-4.5 × 1-3 cm, base cuneate, margin entire or slightly undulate, apex notched, with a mucro. Flower clusters axillary, those of terminal clusters erect spikes or complex thyrsoid structures. Bracts and bracteoles oblong, shorter than 1 mm. Tepals light green, oblong or lanceolate, 1.2-1.5 mm, with a midvein adaxially, apex acute. Stamens slightly shorter than perianth; stigmas 3 or 2, falling off when utricles ripen. Utricles exceeding perianth, compressed-ovoid, ca. 3 mm, indehiscent, slightly rugose to nearly smooth. Seeds black to brownish black, circular, ca. 1.2 cm in diam. Fl. Jul-Aug, fr. Aug-Sep. 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