| | Family guide for fruits and seeds |
Synonyms: Achyranthaceae Raf.; Deeringiaceae J. Agardh
Common name: Amaranth Family.
Number of genera 74. Number of species 800.
Angiosperm. Magnoliopsida.
Disseminule a dehisced fruit, or an intact or entire fruit, or a seed.
Fruits
Pistil(s) simple, or compound; 1; 1-pistillate; with carpels united. Fruit anthocarp, or pericarpium; simple; capsule, or urticle (Amaranthus viridis L.), or berry (rare); pyxidium capsule (Amaranthus caudatus L., Spjut Fig. 45 C-E); capsule not inflated; capsule without operculum; berry indehiscent; berry without central placental mass; simple; cypsela (Sericostachys); without persistent central column; not within accessory organ(s), or within accessory organ(s); within calyx (and with white dense hairs (Froelichia)), or stylopodium (plumed with whitish hairs); 1-seeded (probably); less than 1 cm long (probably); 1-carpellate; in transection terete; apex not beaked; dehiscent, or indehiscent. Dehiscent unit seed(s). Dehiscent regularly; at apex, or middle; and shedding seeds; without replum. Epicarp brown (all shades) (at least); dull; durable; without armature; without wing(s); without apical respiratory hole. Mesocarp present, or absent. Endocarp present, or absent; not separating from exocarp; thin; not splitting into 1-seeded pyrenes; without operculum; without secretory cavities; without longitudinal ridges. Funiculus short; short without seed bearing hooks (retinacula); not persisting in fruit after seed shed.
Seeds
Aril absent, or present (Allmania, Chamissoa, Ptilotus); a true aril; white; well developed, or vestigal; adnate to hilum; of funicular origin; basal; does not aid in seed explusion from fruit; Allmania, Ptilotus cushionlike, or saccate (Chamissoa). Seed larger than minute; circular; in transection lenticular; not bowl shaped; not nutlike; without winglike beak; without caudate appendage(s); at maturity with food reserves, or without apparent food reserves; with perisperm, or endosperm; without canavanine. Sarcotesta absent. Testa present; without fleshy or leathery layer over hard layer; shiny; surface smooth, or unsmooth; with crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle, or without crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle; with notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approaching each other, or without notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approach each other; without glands; without bristles; without wings; without collar; without operculum; colored; monochrome; not becoming mucilaginous when wetted; surrounding food reserve. Endosperm development nuclear; trace; restricted to sheath around radicle.
Perisperm scanty to moderate (translucent & white); hard to crystalline granular; with starch (abundantly); with starch composed of clustered grains; opaque. Embryo differentiated from food reserve; well developed; 1 per seed; partially filling testa (with food reserve); at one end of seed not extending into a depression or cup; peripheral; C-shaped, or annular, or flatly coiled (circinate) (cotyledons & radicle tips: Almost touching or overlapping (1–1/2 coiled)); without coleorhiza; without simmondsin; without stomata; not green; with 2 or more cotyledons. Cotyledons 2; well developed; 0.5–0.7 times length of embryo; as wide as hypocotyl-radicle, or somewhat to significantly wider than hypocotyl-radicle; 1–1.5 times wider than hypocotyl-radicle; smooth; equal in size; not punctate dotted. Hypocotyl-radicle well developed; curved; not thickened.
Distribution
Cosmopolitan. New World, Old World. North America, Middle America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia Major, Asia Minor, southeastern Asia, Australia, Oceania.
Weed information
1 or more USA Federal noxious weeds, 1 or more USA state noxious weeds.
USA Federal noxious weeds: -- Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R. Br. ex DC.: USA Federal Noxious Weed●; USA state noxious weed: CA●, FL●, MA●, NC●, PR●. -- Salsola vermiculata L.: USA Federal Noxious Weed●; USA state noxious weed: CA●, FL●, MA●, NC●. -- Symbols: ªaquatic weed; ●terrestrial weed; °weed in seed. -- Last updated September 2008.
USA states and territories with listed noxious weeds: Alabama (AL), Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Connecticut (CT), Florida (FL), Hawaii (HI), Idaho (ID), Massachusetts (MA), Missouri (MO), Nevada (NV), New Mexico (NM), North Carolina (NC), Ohio (OH), Oklahoma (OK), Oregon (OR), Puerto Rico (PR), South Carolina (SC), Texas (TX), Utah (UT), Washington (WA).
USA state and territory noxious weeds: -- Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb.: USA state noxious weed: ALª●, AZª, CAª, FLª, PRª, SCª, TXª. -- Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R. Br. ex DC.: USA Federal Noxious Weed●; USA state noxious weed: CA●, FL●, MA●, NC●, PR●. -- Alternanthera spp.: USA state noxious weed: ARª, PRª. -- Froelichia gracilis (Hook.) Moq.: USA state noxious weed: CT●. -- Halogeton glomeratus (M. Bieb.) Ledeb.: USA state noxious weed: AZ●, CA●°, CO●°, HI●°, ID°, NM●°, NV°, OR●°, UT°, WA°. -- Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad. (=Bassia scoparia (L.) A. J. Scott): USA state noxious weed: CT●, OR●, WA●. -- Salsola collina Pall.: USA state noxious weed: CA●. -- Salsola kali L.: USA state noxious weed: HI●°. -- Salsola kali L. var. tenuifolia Tausch (=Salsola tragus L.): USA state noxious weed: AZ°, OH●. -- Salsola paulsenii Litv.: USA state noxious weed: CA●. -- Salsola pestifer A. Nelson (=Salsola tragus L.): USA state noxious weed: MO°. -- Salsola spp.: USA state noxious weed: AR●. -- Salsola tragus L.: USA state noxious weed: CA●. -- Salsola vermiculata L.: USA Federal Noxious Weed●; USA state noxious weed: CA●, FL●, MA●, NC●. -- Symbols: ªaquatic weed; ●terrestrial weed; °weed in seed. -- Last updated September 2008.
Listed seeds
ASOA listed seeds, ISTA listed seeds.
ASOA listed seeds: -- Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb. -- Alternanthera pungens Kunth -- Alternanthera repens (L.) Link, nom. illeg. = Alternanthera pungens Kunth -- Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R. Br. ex DC. -- Amaranthus albus L. -- Amaranthus blitoides S. Watson -- Amaranthus cruentus L. -- Amaranthus graecizans L. -- Amaranthus hybridus L. -- Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. -- Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson -- Amaranthus retroflexus L. -- Amaranthus spinosus L. -- Amaranthus L. spp. -- Celosia argentea var. cristata (L.) Kuntze -- Gomphrena globosa L. -- Tidestromia lanuginosa (Nutt.) Standl. -- Last updated September 2008.
ISTA listed seeds: -- Achyranthes aspera L.w -- Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb.w -- Alternanthera pungens Kunthw -- Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R. Br. ex DC.w -- Amaranthus albus L.w -- Amaranthus caudatus L.f -- Amaranthus cruentus L.f -- Amaranthus dubius Mart. ex Thell. -- Amaranthus hybridus L.f -- Amaranthus paniculatus L. = Amaranthus cruentus L.f -- Amaranthus retroflexus L.w -- Amaranthus spinosus L.w -- Amaranthus tricolor L.f -- Amaranthus viridis L. w -- Celosia argentea L.f -- Cyathula achyranthoides (Kunth) Moq. -- Gomphrena decumbens Jacq. = Gomphrena serrata L. -- Gomphrena globosa L.f -- Gomphrena serrata L.w -- Psilotrichum ferrugineum (Roxb.) Moq. -- Symbols: aagricultural and vegetable seeds (Table 2A Part 1); ttree and shrub species (Table 2A Part 2); fflower, spice, herb, and medicinal seeds (Table 2A Part 3); wweed seeds. -- Last updated September 2008.
Accepted genera
Achyranthes L., nom. cons. prop. -- Achyropsis (Moq.) Hook. f. -- Aerva Forssk., nom. cons. -- Allmania R. Br. ex Wight -- Allmaniopsis Suess. -- Alternanthera Forssk. -- Amaranthus L. -- Arthraerua (Kuntze) Schinz -- Blutaparon Raf. -- Bosea L. -- Calicorema Hook. f. -- Celosia L. -- Centema Hook. f. -- Centemopsis Schinz -- Centrostachys Wall. -- Chamissoa Kunth, nom. cons. -- Charpentiera Gaudich. -- Chionothrix Hook. f. -- Cyathula Blume, nom. cons. -- Dasysphaera Volkens ex Gilg -- Deeringia R. Br. -- Digera Forssk. -- Eriostylos C. C. Towns. -- Froelichia Moench -- Froelichiella R. E. Fr. -- Gomphrena L. -- Gossypianthus Hook. -- Guilleminea Kunth -- Hebanthe Mart. -- Hebanthodes Pedersen -- Henonia Moq. -- Herbstia Sohmer -- Hermbstaedtia Rchb. -- Indobanalia A. N. Henry & B. Roy -- Irenella Suess. -- Iresine P. Browne, nom. cons. -- Kyphocarpa (Fenzl) Lopr. -- Lagrezia Moq. -- Lecosia Pedersen -- Leucosphaera Gilg -- Lithophila Sw. -- Lopriorea Schinz -- Marcelliopsis Schinz -- Mechowia Schinz -- Nelsia Schinz -- Neocentema Schinz -- Nothosaerva Wight -- Nototrichium (A. Gray) Hillebr. -- Nyssanthes R. Br. -- Pandiaka (Moq.) Hook. f. -- Pedersenia Holub -- Pfaffia Mart. -- Philoxerus R. Br. -- Pleuropetalum Hook. f. -- Pleuropterantha Franch. -- Polyrhabda C. C. Towns. -- Pseudogomphrena R. E. Fr. -- Pseudoplantago Suess. -- Pseudosericocoma Cavaco -- Psilotrichopsis C. C. Towns. -- Psilotrichum Blume -- Ptilotus R. Br. -- Pupalia Juss., nom. cons. -- Quaternella Pedersen -- Rosifax C. C. Towns. -- Saltia R. Br. ex Moq. -- Sericocoma Fenzl -- Sericocomopsis Schinz -- Sericorema (Hook. f.) Lopr. -- Sericostachys Gilg & Lopr. -- Siamosia K. Larsen & Pedersen -- Stilbanthus Hook. f. -- Tidestromia Standl. -- Trichuriella Bennet -- Volkensinia Schinz -- Woehleria Griseb. -- Xerosiphon Turcz.
References specific to this family
Cronquist page 264.
General references
Cronquist, A. 1981. An integrated system of classification of flowering plants, 1,262 p. Columbia University Press, New York, Goldberg, A. 1986 (dicots) and 1989 (monocots). Classification, evolution, and phylogeny of the familes of Dicotyledons. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 58 for dicots (314 pp.) and 71 for monocots (74 pp.). [Goldberg's illustrations are reproduced from older publications and these should be consulted], Gunn, C.R. and C.A. Ritchie. 1988. Identification of disseminules listed in the Federal Noxious Weed Act. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1719:1–313, Gunn, C.R., J.H. Wiersema, C.A. Ritchie, and J.H. Kirkbride, Jr. 1992 and amendments. Families and genera of Spermatophytes recognized by the Agricultural Research Service. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1796:1–500, LeMaout, E. and J. Decaisne. 1876. A general system of botany, 1,065 p. Longmans, Green, and Co., London, Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The plant-book, 706 p. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Martin, A.C. 1946. The comparative internal morphology of seeds. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 36:513–660, Spjut, R.W. 1994. A systematic treatment of fruit types. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 70:1–182, Wood, C.E., Jr. 1974. A student's atlas of flowering plants: Some dicotyledons of eastern North America, 120 pp. Harper and Row, New York.
Illustrations
Acceptable fruit and excellent seed illustrations. Disseminule illustration(s): fruit, or seed, or embryo. Fruit illustration(s): Gunn & Ritchie, Cronquist, Wood, Jr., LeMaout & Decaisne. Seed illustration(s): Gunn & Ritchie, Cronquist, Wood. Jr., LeMaout & Decaisne. Embryo illustration(s): Gunn & Ritchie, Cronquist, Martin, Wood, Jr., LeMaout & Decaisne.
• Seed. 1 of 25. Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R. Br. ex DC.: seed. • Fruit. 2 of 25. Amaranthus powellii S. Watson: fruit with bracts. • Seed. 3 of 25. Amaranthus powellii S. Watson: seeds. • Fruit and seed. 4 of 25. Centrostachys aquatica (R. Br.) Moq.: fruit and seed. • Fruit. 5 of 25. Digera arvensis Forsk.: fruits. • Seed. 6 of 25. Digera arvensis Forsk.: seeds. • Fruit. 7 of 25. Gomphrena nitida Rothr.: fruits with bracts. • Fruit. 8 of 25. Gomphrena nitida Rothr.: fruits with ot without calyx. • Seed. 9 of 25. Gomphrena nitida Rothr.: seeds. • Fruit. 10 of 25. Celosia odorata T. Cooke: fruiting head, fruits with calyces. • Fruit. 11 of 25. Celosia odorata T. Cooke: fruits with calyx. • Seed. 12 of 25. Celosia odorata T. Cooke: seeds. • Fruit. 13 of 25. Neocentima robecchii (Lopr.) Schinz: fruit with bracts. • Seed. 14 of 25. Neocentima robecchii (Lopr.) Schinz: broken seed. • Fruit and seed. 15 of 25. Pleuropterantha revoilii Franch.: fruit and seed. • Seed. 16 of 25. Pleuropterantha revoilii Franch.: seed and fruit. • Fruit and seed. 17 of 25. Pupalia lappacea (L.) Juss.: fruit with bracts and seed. • Seed. 18 of 25. Pupalia lappacea (L.) Juss.: seed. • Embryo. 19 of 25. Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R. Br. ex DC.: embryo. • Embryo. 20 of 25. Amaranthus thunbergii Moq.: embryo. • Embryo. 21 of 25. Celiosa trigyna L.: embryo. • Embryo. 22 of 25. Cyathula prostrata (L.) Blume: embryo. • Embryo. 23 of 25. Digera muricata (L.) Mart.: embryo. • Embryo. 24 of 25. Gomphrena celosiodes Mart.: embryo. • Embryo. 25 of 25. Pupalia lappacea (L.) Juss.: embryo.
We advise against extracting comparative information from the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using the DELTA data files or the interactive key, which allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa. See also Guidelines for using data taken from Web publications.
Cite this publication as: ‘J.H. Kirkbride, Jr., C.R. Gunn, and M.J. Dallwitz. 2000 onwards. Family guide for fruits and seeds: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. Version: 12th April 2021. delta-intkey.com’.
