Amaranthus cruentus
Field with panicles Foxtail
The panicles - pigweed ( Amaranthus cruentus ), also Rispiger foxtail or dyed fox tail and like other species of this genus Amaranthus called, is a species of the genus Amaranthus ( Amaranthus ) within the family of Amaranthaceae ( Amaranthaceae ).
- 6.1 Notes and references
Description
Appearance and leaf
Amaranthus cruentus is growing as an annual herbaceous plant, reaching heights of growth of 30 centimeters to 2 meters. The plant parts are often reddish. The usually erect or ascending stems rarely is edgy and branched, glabrous or more or less densely with multicellular hairs ( trichomes ) covered.
The alternate and spirally arranged leaves are divided into petiole and leaf blade. The petiole is relatively long with a length of 2.5 to 18 cm. The simple leaf blade is ovate with a length of 6 to 20 cm, lanceolate to. There are no stipules present. The cotyledons ( cotyledons ) are about 1.5 cm long, fleshy, and pedunculated.
Inflorescence and flower
Amaranthus cruentus is monoecious getrenntgeschlechtig ( mönözisch ). The terminal, Rispige total inflorescence is composed of dense, spike- like inflorescences part and has a length of 30 to 50 cm and a diameter of about 15 cm. The uppermost part of inflorescence is usually upright. The approximately 2 mm long bracts are trockenhäutig below its middle.
The male flowers have four or five 2 to 2.4 mm long bracts and five free, about 1 mm long stamens. The female flowers have always five 1.2 to 1.8 mm long, nearly equal bracts, which are oblong to elliptical with pointed to rounded upper end. The upright style is slender at its base and ends in three scars.
Fruit and seeds
The bloom do not overlap over the fruit. The dark reddish bald cap fruits are obovate to rhombic, with a length of 2 to 2.5 mm and contain only one seed. The yellowish or blackish, smooth seeds with a diameter of about 1 mm obovate to ellipsoid and flattened, lenticular.
Chromosome number
The chromosome numbers be 2n = 32, 34
Dissemination
Amaranthus cruentus is originally from South America and was spread early through Central America to the southern regions of the eastern United States.
Use
The relatively small seeds are easy to harvest. They are eaten as a pseudo grain amaranth, particularly in Mexico and India. This plant is grown now but also in the eastern Africa, for example, in Sudan. The highly nutritious seeds are ground and baked. When cooked, the seeds are gelatinous. Since it is difficult to crush the small seeds in the mouth, they pass through the digestive system without being absorbed. The mild -tasting leaves are eaten cooked. They contain many vitamins and minerals. Seedlings are used in salads.
The dyer foxtail was used in Central America for dyeing, especially of food. The flowers are used for dyeing cornbread. From all parts of the plant yellow and green dyes are obtained.
In Moldova, the panicles Foxtail served to abortion.
Taxonomy
The Erstveröfftentlichung of Amaranthus cruentus was made in 1759 by Carl Linnaeus in Systema Naturae, Editio Decima 2, p 1269 Amaranthus cruentus L. Synonyms for are: .. Amaranthus chlorostachys Willd, Amaranthus hybridus subsp. cruentus (L.) Thell. , Amaranthus L. paniculatus
Trivial names
More in part only regional common names for the panicles foxtail are or were: Amarantenbaum, Floramour, foxtail, parrot feathers, parrot herb Rüth Stirr ( Transylvania), Strizolar (Ziller Valley), daisies, Vasses besekla ( Middle Low German ) and Vasses Sagel ( Middle Low German ).
Swell
- G.J.H. Grubben, 2004: Amaranthus cruentus at PROTAbase, PROTA = Plant Resources of Tropical Africa / Ressources de l' Afrique Tropicale végétales, Wageningen, Netherlands. ( Description section )
- James Henrickson: Entry at The Jepson Manual Treatment. (Section Description and dissemination )