Amaranthus Collection for ID!

Post by **MWP admin** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 6:46 pm

Here is a collection of 3 different specimen of Amaranthus that I am trying 2 identify. I have some idea which I will discuss in later reply post

Post by **MWP admin** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 6:49 pm

A Close up of the spike of Specimen 1

Post by **MWP admin** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 7:00 pm

My Opinion:

Specimen 1: Amaranthus hybridus.

http://herbarivirtual.uib.es/eng-med/im ... 81118.html

"A small upright plant with more or less rhomboidal shaped leaves, very similar to those of Amaranthus retroflexus, although without the white spot that characterizes this latter species. In contrast, the inflorescence may have an enlarged apical portion in addition to being well branched in the inferior portion."

RutgerB · Post by **RutgerB** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 8:03 pm

Specimen 3 looks like what I call Amaranthus hybridus. In Belgium/Holland we distinguish A. hybridus hybridus and A. hybridus bouchonii. You need to look at the fruit; if its opening with a 'lid' (hybridus) or irregular (bouchonii). Please look also to the perianth segments (tepals) to be sure its not A. retroflexus. With all amaranths you have to look closely to the fruit, (number of) perianth segments en bracteoles.

Post by **MWP admin** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 10:36 pm

Thanks for your hint - it seems I have to delete all the amaranthus unidentified photos and start from scratch using a magnifying glass (or macro lens0 on the flower/fruiting parts.

So I think it is quite hard to distinguish these spp. from the photos

IL-PINE · Post by **IL-PINE** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:39 pm

In my opinion - I might be wrong about this complicated genus.
For me your specimen number 1 is Amaranthus viridis.
2 might be the same.

3 might be retroflexus or hybridus depending on the perianth segments.

IL-PINE · Post by **IL-PINE** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:41 pm

The following are the remains of what I did when I scraped the stem (I still cannot really identify bracts/bracteoles/calyx) of this genus!

Post by **MWP admin** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:46 pm

I agree on 2, and about 1 I think you are right too, though the photos are not enough in this case.

At least thanks to the forum, next season we have the knowledge for a better ID for this difficult Genus.

Post by **MWP admin** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:48 pm

I think you crushed them too much Rambo!

well, at least not hybridus or retroflexus, so maybe viridis.

IL-PINE · Post by **IL-PINE** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:50 pm

At least there were no fingers.... just a palm

RutgerB · Post by **RutgerB** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 4:31 pm

Last picture looks like the fruits of A. viridis. I compared it with a drawing from Viney (Flora of North Cyprus). Perianth segments (should be 3) much smaller than the fruit. They are the tiny ones around the fruit. The bracteoles stayed on the plant! Fruitscin 'tearing jaggedly to release the sead', Amaranthus hybridus hyb. and A. retroflexus splits neadly round the middle when ripe. Then you see the little 'lids' I refered to. Dont see lids here..