Amaranthus spinosus L.

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

bledo, bledo blanco, bledo espinoso, bledo macho, cáncer de laguna, cáncer espinoso, escansé espinoso, rabo de gallo, siempreviva

Amaranthaceae, C.C. Townsend. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1985

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb, erect or slightly decumbent, up to ± 1.5 m.

Morphology Stem

Stem stout, sometimes reddish, usually branched, angular, glabrous or increasingly furnished above (especially in the inflorescence) with long multicellular flocculent hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves glabrous or thinly pilose on the lower surface of the primary nervation, long-petiolate (petioles up to ± 9 cm., sometimes longer than the lamina); lamina ovate to rhomboid-ovate, elliptic, lanceolate-oblong or lanceolate, ± 1.5–12 × 0.8–6 cm., subacute or more commonly blunt or retuse at the tip, with a distinct fine colourless mucro, cuneate or attenuate at the base; each leaf-axil bearing a pair of fine and slender to stout and compressed spines up to ± 2.5 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers green, in the lower part of the plant in axillary clusters 6–15 mm. in diameter; towards the ends of the stem and branches the clusters leafless and approximated to form simple or (the terminal at least) usually branched spikes up to ± 15 cm. long and 1 cm. wide; lower clusters entirely ♀ as are the lower flowers of the spikes; upper flowers of the spikes ♂, mostly for the apica 1/4–2/3 of each spike.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts and bracteoles deltoid-ovate, pale and membranous, with an erect reddish awn formed by the excurrent midrib; bracteoles shorter than, subequalling or a little exceeding the perianth, commonly smaller than the bracts.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth

Perianth-segments 5, narrowly oblong or spathulate-oblong, 1.5–2.5 mm., obtuse or acute, mucronulate, frequently with a greenish dorsal vitta; ♂ broadly lanceolate or lanceolate-oblong, acute or acuminate, only the midrib green.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma

Stigmas (2–)3, flexuose or reflexed, 1–1.5 mm.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule ovoid-urceolate with a short inflated beak below the style-base ± 1.5 mm., regularly or irregularly circumscissile or rarely indehiscent, the lid rugulose below the neck.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed 0.75–1 mm., compressed, black, shining, very faintly reticulate.

Figures

Fig. 4/10.

Habitat

Commonly as a weed of cultivation, waste ground and roadsides, also occurring in open grassland and in wet ground by swamps and along rivers; 0–1820 m.

Distribution

throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, occurring occasionally as a casual in temperate regions alsopresumed to be of American origin K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K6 K7 P T1 T2 T3 T6 T7 T8

Amaranthaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:1. 1954

Morphology General Habit

Erect annual herb, 1–3 ft. high

Note

A common weed.

Amaranthaceae, C. C. Townsend. Flora Zambesiaca 9:1. 1988

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb, erect or slightly decumbent, up to c. 1.5 m. in height.

Morphology Stem

Stem stout, sometimes reddish, usually branched, angular, glabrous or increasingly furnished above (especially in the inflorescence) with short or longer, multicellular, flocculent hairs.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves glabrous, or thinly pilose on the lower surface of the primary venation, long-petiolate (petioles up to c. 9 cm. long, sometimes longer than the lamina), lamina lanceolate-ovate to rhomboid-ovate, elliptic, lanceolate-oblong or lanceolate, c. 1.5–12 × 0.8–6 cm., subacute or more commonly blunt or retuse at the apex with a distinct, fine colourless mucro, cuneate or attenuate at the base; each leaf-axil bearing a pair of fine and slender to stout and compressed spines up to c. 2.5 cm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers green, in the lower parts of the plant in axillary clusters 6–15 mm. in diam., towards the ends of the stem and branches the clusters leafless and approximated to form simple or (the terminal at least) branched spikes up to c. 15 cm. long and 1 cm. wide. Lower flower clusters entirely female, as are the lower flowers of the spikes; upper flowers of spikes male, mostly for the apical 1/4–2/3 of each spike.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts

Bracts and bracteoles deltoid-ovate, pale-membranous, with an erect, commonly reddish awn formed by the excurrent green midrib: bracteoles shorter than to a little exceeding the perianth, commonly smaller than the bracts.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth

Perianth segments 5, those of the female flowers c. 1.5–2.5 mm. long, narrowly oblong or spathulate-oblong, obtuse or acute, mucronulate, frequently with a greenish dorsal vitta; those of the male flowers broadly lanceolate or lanceolate-oblong, acute or acuminate, only the midrib green.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma

Stigmas (2) 3, flexuose or reflexed, 1–1.5 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule ovoid-urceolate with a short, inflated beak below the style-base, c. 1.5 mm. long, regularly or irregularly circumcissile or more rarely indehiscent, the lid rugulose below the beak.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seed 0.75–1 mm. across, black, compressed, shining, very faintly reticulate.

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Andean, Caribbean, Orinoquia, Pacific. Elevation range: 0–2000 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Atlántico, Bolívar, Caldas, Cauca, Chocó, Córdoba, Huila, Magdalena, Meta, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Putumayo, Quindío, Santander, Tolima, Valle del Cauca.

Habit

Herb, Subshrub.

Conservation

National Red List of Colombia (2021): Potential LC.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, native grassland, wetlands (inland), artificial - terrestrial.

Vernacular

Bledo, Bledo espinoso, Bledo macho, Husquilete, Husquilla

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution

Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 2000 m.; Andes, Llanura del Caribe, Orinoquia, Pacífico, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Valle del Cauca, Valle del Magdalena.

Morphology General Habit

Hierba, subarbusto

Conservation

No Evaluada