Amaranthaceae

Achyranthes L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 204 (1753)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Tropical & Subtropical Old World.

Descriptions

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Herbs, rarely shrubs or trees, with opposite, entire leaves
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in elongating bracteate spikes, solitary in the axils of the bracts, usually sharply deflexed along the inflorescence axis in fruit, bracteoles spinous-aristate with the excurrent midrib
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Tepal
Tepals 4–5, 1–3(–5)-nerved, narrowly lanceolate, the outer 2 slightly longer
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 2–5, the filaments monadelphous below, alternating with quadrate to quadrate-spathulate staminodes which are commonly furnished with a variably developed dorsal scale
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 1-ovulate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style slender, stigma capitate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Capsule irregularly rupturing by the thin walls, apex firm, falling with the perianth and bracteoles.
Distribution
About fourteen species in the warm temperate and tropical regions of the world.
[FSOM]

George R. Proctor (2012). Flora of the Cayman Isands (Second Edition). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herbs, glabrous or pubescent, sometimes shrubby at base; leaves opposite, petiolate, entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers perfect, in long slender spikes, deflexed in fruit, the bracts spine-tipped. Perianth of 5 subequal segments (rarely 2 or 4), glabrous or pubescent, becoming hard and ribbed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 5 (rarely 2 or 4), alternating with laciniate staminodes; filaments united into a short cup at the base; anthers 4-celled.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary with filiform style and capitate stigma; ovule 1, suspended from an elongate funicle
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Utricle indehiscent, included in the persistent perianth; seed oblong, with annular embryo.
Distribution
A pantropical genus of about 10 species.
[Cayman]

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

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary with a solitary pendulous ovule, the ovary wall very thin in fruit; style slender; stigma small, truncate-capitate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Endosperm copious. Entire flower with bracteoles falling with the ripening of the cylindrical seed, the deflexed bracts persistent
Morphology General Habit
Herbs with opposite, petiolate, entire leaves
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a ± slender spike, terminal on the stem and branches, the flowers at first congested and ± patent, finally usually laxer and deflexed; bracts deltoid or ovate, the midrib excurrent in a spine
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary in the bracts, hermaphrodite, bibracteolate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth-segments 4–5, 1–3(–5)-nerved, narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, aristate with the excurrent midrib, indurate in fruit especially at the base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles
Bracteoles spinous-aristate with the excurrent midrib, the lamina forming short and free to longer and adnate membranous wings
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 2–5; filaments filiform, monadelphous, alternating with quadrate to broadly quadrate-spathulate pseudostaminodes, these simple and dentate or fimbriate, or furnished with a variably developed dorsal scale; anthers bilocular
[FTEA]

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

Morphology General Habit
Herbs with opposite, petiolate, entire leaves.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a more or less slender spike, terminal on the stem and branches, the flowers at first congested and patent, finally usually laxer and deflexed; bracts deltoid or ovate, the midrib excurrent in a spine.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary in the bracts, hermaphrodite, bibracteolate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth segments 4–5, 1–3(5) nerved, narrowly lanceolate, acuminate, mucronate with the excurrent midrib, indurate in fruit especially at the base.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracteoles
Bracteoles spinous-aristate with the excurrent midrib, the lamina forming short and free to longer and adnate membranous wings.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium
Stamens 2–5, filaments filiform, monadelphous, alternating with quadrate to broadly quadrate-spathulate pseudostaminodes, these simple and dentate or fimbriate, or commonly furnished with a variably developed dorsal scale; anthers bilocular.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style slender, stigma small, truncate-capitate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary with a solitary pendulous ovule, the ovary wall very thin in fruit.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Entire flower with bracteoles falling with the ripening of the cylindrical seed, the deflexed bracts persistent. Endosperm copious.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of the Cayman Islands

    • Flora of the Cayman Islands
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Neotropikey

    • Milliken, W., Klitgard, B. and Baracat, A. (2009 onwards), Neotropikey - Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0