Amaranthus viridis L.

  • Authority

    Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.

  • Family

    Amaranthaceae

  • Scientific Name

    Amaranthus viridis L.

  • Description

    Species Description - Erect herb 30-50 (-100) cm tall, with long taproot; stems cylindrical to obtusely 4 -angular, reddish, with minute white hairs on young parts, becoming glabrous and furrowed when dried. Leaf blades 2-5.5 x 1-5 cm, lanceolate to rhombic, characteous, glabrous except for a few hairs on veins and margins, the apex obtuse, rounded or acute, mucronate, usually notched, the base obtuse to nearly truncate, slightly oblique, the margins whitish and slighly wavy; petioles 1-5 cm long. Flowers aggregated on slightly elongate cymes along panicles; bracts and bracteoles ovate with acuminate sharp apex and hylaine margins. Tepals greenish, ca. 2mm long, elliptic, with acuminate apex and hyaline margins; stamens 2 or 3, the anthers obling; ovary flattened, lenticular, the stigma 3, slightly curved. Fruit ca. 1.5 mm long, nearly globose, warty. Seeds 1.2mm long, lenticular, dark brown and shiny.

  • Discussion

    Amaranthus gracilis Desf., Tabl. Ecole Bot. 43. 1804.

  • Distribution

    A weed, mostly found in open distrurbed areas. Cruz Bay(A2905), Johnson Bay (A3154), East End (B1206). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, and virgin Gorda; widely distributed throughout the tropics.

    Virgin Gorda Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America|