AMARANTHACEAE - Amaranth Family
Herbs, leaves opposite or
alternate, entire, without stipules.
Flowers in dense spikes,
heads or racemes, subtended by
bracts, bisexual or unisexual, highly reduced, infls. often
spiny.
Fruit a circumscissile capsule,utricle or nutlet, dehiscing by a
lid or indehiscent.
Seed with embryo surrounding the endosperm.
65 genera, 900 species.
The Amaranthaceae is divided into two subfamilies on the basis of
the number of locules in the anthers and the number of ovules.
Economic importance: negative value as weeds, some horticultural uses
- Celosia (cock's comb),
Amaranthus was important grain plant for New World Indians and
may eventually become important as a grain for modern agriculture due
to its balanced amino acid content. Most plant grains are deficient
in one or more amino acids, Amaranthus does not have to be
supplemented with other grains to provide all the essential amino
acids.
Medicinal uses - internal and external bleeding, dysentery, and
diarrhea.
Diagnostic characteristics: large coarse plants in disturbed
areas (weed taxa).
IMAGE GALLERY
FLOWERING
PLANT GATEWAY