| General Information |
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| Distribution | A taxonomically difficult genus of about 75 species chiefly from warm temperate and subtropical regions of the world.
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Habit
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Annual or perennial, monoecious or dioecious herbs; stems erect to prostrate, branched above and below, pubescent with glandular or multicellular hairs, unarmed or rarely armed.
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Leaves
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Leaves alternate, margin entire or sinuate, petiolate.
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Flowers
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Inflorescences terminal or axillary, bracteate cymes or spikelike. Flowers unisexual, subtended by 2 conspicuous red, green, or purple bracteoles; sepals (2)3‒5, membranous, distinct or connate at base, glabrous; stamens (2)3‒5, distinct, anthers dithecal; ovary unilocular, ovule 1, stigmas 2‒3.
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Fruit
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Fruit a circumscissile, irregularly dehiscent, or indehiscent utricle, 2‒3 beaked at apex.
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Seeds
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Seeds usually black, lenticular, smooth and lustrous.
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Notes
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The name is derived from the Greek amarantos, unfading, in reference to the persisting color of the inflorescence in some species.
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Contributor
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Nancy Khan
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