Flora of Dominica, Part 2 - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

20 AMARANTHACEAE SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO BOTANY
yet validly published although it was accepted by Fournet
(1978: 1001) without reference to Martius' basionym. Kellogg
(in Howard, 1988,4:151) treated the name accepted here as a
synonym of Alternanthera halimifolia (Lamarck) Standley but
did not attribute the taxon to Dominica. The Dominican
materials seem to be cited as Alternanthera tenella Colla. She
pointed out the need for biosystematic work.
This species is similar to A. caracasana (commonly called A.
repes or A. peploides), a species with bracts usually 3-ribbed,
loosely long-pubescent with glochidiate hairs and staminodia
shorter than the filaments.
There has been a flap over Alternantheraficoidea, subject of
a proposal to reject (Taron, 27:310, 1978), barely approved
(Taon, 31:540, 1982), then proposed for reconsideration
(Taon, 323 16, 1983) but reconsideration rejected (Taxon,
34x32, 1985). Ignoring the multiple issues, it seems that the
result of the decisions is that the type of Alternantheraficoidea
(Linnaeus) Palisot de Beauvois pertains to what is widely
known as Alternanthera paronychioides St. Hilaire. Rejection
ofA.ficoidea allows A. paronychioides to stand. What has been
called A. ficoidea (or ficoides) is A. tenella Colla. The
Dominican material can be called A. tenella subsp.flavogrisea
(Urban) Mears & Veldkamp, but here I maintain it as a species.
Alternanthera sessilis
Alternanthera sessilis (Linnaeus) R. Brown ex A.P. Candolle, 1813:4,
77.-Melville, 1958: 172.-Mears, 1977:3.
Gomphrena sessilis Linnaeus, 1753:225.
Stems with pubescence restricted to two lateral grooves;
bracts 1-nerved, glabrous, to 2 mm, shorter than utricle.
Pantropic weed; in Dominica near houses, in sand and
pavement Carib Reserve (Hodge 3365), Lisdara (Hodge 449),
Layou River mouth (Fosberg 48304), Portsmouth garden weed
(DHN!), Roseau (Erst 2150).
Amaranthus Linnaeus
Amaranthus polygonoides Linnaeus and Amaranthus crassipes
Schlechter differ from the following species by having
strictly axillary inflorescences rather than both terminal and
axillary. The latter was said to have been collected on
Dominica by Velez (1957:73).
1. Plant with stipular spines ........... A. spinosus
1. Plantunarmed.
2. Flowers pentamerous; utricle wrinkled, circumscissile
........................ A. dubius
2. Flowers trimerous; utricle smooth (or wrinkled), indehiscent.
3. Leaf tips strongly emarginate, bilobed; utricles
smooth, thin-walled ............A. blitum
3. Leaf tips tapering to a small obtuse or truncate,
mucronulate apex; utricle tuberculate ... A. viridis
Amaranthus blitum
Amaranthus blitwn Linnaeus, 1753:990.-Kellogg in Howard, 1988,4157.
Flowers 3-merous.
Pantropical; reported for Dominica by Kellogg (l.c.),
probably involving some material cited below as Amaranthus
viridis.
Amaranthus dubius
Amaranthus dubius Martius ex Thellung, 1913:203.
Staminate flowers conspicuous, stramineous; flowers 5-
merous.
Pantropic weed; on Dominica in dry, scrubby places: Cabrits
(Hodge 3711, 3712), Canefield (Nicolson 2144, Coulibistri
(Ernst 1403, Layou River mouth (Fosberg 48302), Loubikre-
Solomon's Slide (Hodge 38.53, Portsmouth (Hodge 450),
South Chiltern (Hodge 1511).
Adjanohoun et al. (1985:39, pl. 6) reported usage against
anemia.
Amaranthus spinosus Linnaeus
Amaranthus spinosus Linnaeus, 1753:991.
Epinard.
Weedy herb with alternate leaves and stipular spines; flowers
in axillary clusters and clustered on terminal spicate inflorescences.
Pantropic weed, in Dominica in dry areas: Canefield
(Nicolson 2150), Grand Savanne (Ernst 1645), Portsmouth
street weed (DHN!), Pringles Bay (Whitefoord 3736).
Used as a potherb by the Caribs (Hodge and Taylor,
1957555). Adjanohoun et al. (1985:41, pl. 7) reported usage
against anemia and as laxative.
Amaranthus viridis
Amaranthus viridis Linnaeus, 1763:1405.
Amaranthur gracilis Desfontaines, 1804:43.
Euxolus viridis (Linnaeus) Moquin in A.P. Candolle, 1849, 13(2):273.-
Grisebach, 1859:68.
Epinard.
Flowers 3-merous.
Pantropic weed; in southwestern Dominica: South Chiltem
(Hodge 1613), Sylvania (Hodge 1244).
Used as a potherb (Hodge and Taylor, f957:555).
Celosia Linnaeus
Celosia argentea
Celmia argentea Linnaeus, 1753:205.-Whitefoord, 1989:149.
Annual to 1 m; leaves lanceolate; spikes to 12 cm long,
crimson to silvery-white; seeds black, shiny.