Amaranthus tricolor

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 2: 989. 1753.

Common names: Joseph’s coat summer poinsettia
Introduced
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 433. Mentioned on page 405, 411, 413.

Plants annual, glabrous. Stems erect, often branched, 0.8–1.5 m. Leaves: petiole 1/2 as long as blade; blade ovate, elliptic, rhombic, or lanceolate, mostly 4–12 × 1.4–6 cm, base tapering, margins entire, usually undulate, apex acuminate and short-mucronate; distal leaf blades green, red, scarlet, maroon, purple, yellow, and cream (unique to A. tricolor). Inflorescences axillary glomerules. Bracts of pistillate flowers ovate to lanceolate, 5–6 mm. Pistillate flowers: tepals 3, narrowly ovate to lanceolate, 5–6 mm, apex aristate; style branches spreading; stigmas 2–3. Staminate flowers intermixed with pistillate; tepals 3; stamens 3. Utricles ovoid, 2–2.5 mm, rugose, dehiscence regularly circumscissile. Seeds black or brownish black, subglobose, 1 mm diam., shiny.


Phenology: Flowering summer–fall.
Habitat: Locally escaped from cultivation, disturbed areas

Distribution

Introduced; La., Mich., Mo., native in tropical Asia.

Discussion

Amaranthus tricolor is widely cultivated as a garden plant for its showy, often variegated, distal leaves of striking colors—red, scarlet, maroon, purple, yellow, cream, and green. Other cultivated varieties with green leaves are sometimes cultivated as a potherb. Escaped plants sometimes occur near places of cultivation; we have no evidence of widespread establishment.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.
... more about "Amaranthus tricolor"
Sergei L. Mosyakin +  and Kenneth R. Robertson +
Linnaeus +
Undefined subg. Albersia +
Joseph’s coat +  and summer poinsettia +
La. +, Mich. +, Mo. +  and native in tropical Asia. +
Locally escaped from cultivation, disturbed areas +
Flowering summer–fall. +
Introduced +
Acanthochiton +, Acnida +, Albersia +, Amblogyna +, Euxolus +, Mengea +, Sarratia +  and Scleropus +
Amaranthus tricolor +
Amaranthus subg. Albersia +
species +