''Amaranthus'' is a
cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan may refer to:
Food and drink
* Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo"
History
* Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953
Hotels and resorts
* Cosmopoli ...
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
of
annual
Annual may refer to:
* Annual publication, periodical publications appearing regularly once per year
**Yearbook
** Literary annual
* Annual plant
* Annual report
* Annual giving
* Annual, Morocco, a settlement in northeastern Morocco
* Annuals (b ...
or short-lived
perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
s collectively known as amaranths. Some amaranth species are cultivated as
leaf vegetable
Leaf vegetables, also called leafy greens, pot herbs, vegetable greens, or simply greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by tender petioles and shoots. Leaf vegetables eaten raw in a salad can be called salad gre ...
s,
pseudocereal
A pseudocereal or pseudograin is one of any non-grasses that are used in much the same way as cereals (true cereals are grasses). Pseudocereals can be further distinguished from other non-cereal staple crops (such as potatoes) by their being pro ...
s, and
ornamental plant
Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...
s.
Catkin
A catkin or ament is a slim, cylindrical flower cluster (a spike), with inconspicuous or no petals, usually wind-pollinated (anemophilous) but sometimes insect-pollinated (as in ''Salix''). They contain many, usually unisexual flowers, arranged cl ...
-like
cymes
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed on ...
of densely packed flowers grow in summer or autumn. Amaranth varies in flower, leaf, and stem color with a range of striking
pigments
A pigment is a colored material that is completely or nearly insoluble in water. In contrast, dyes are typically soluble, at least at some stage in their use. Generally dyes are often organic compounds whereas pigments are often inorganic compou ...
from the spectrum of maroon to crimson and can grow longitudinally from tall with a cylindrical,
succulent
In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...
, fibrous stem that is hollow with grooves and
bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...
eoles when mature.
[
There are approximately 75 species in the genus, 10 of which are ]dioecious
Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproductio ...
and native to North America with the remaining 65 monoecious
Monoecy (; adj. monoecious ) is a sexual system in seed plants where separate male and female cones or flowers are present on the same plant. It is a monomorphic sexual system alongside gynomonoecy, andromonoecy and trimonoecy.
Monoecy is conne ...
species endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to every continent (except Antarctica) from tropical lowlands to the Himalayas. Members of this genus share many characteristics and uses with members of the closely related genus ''Celosia
''Celosia'' ( ) is a small genus of edible and ornamental plants in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. The generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek word (), meaning "burning", and refers to the flame-like flower heads. Species are commonl ...
''. Amaranth grain
Species belonging to the genus ''Amaranthus'' have been cultivated for their grains for 8,000 years. Amaranth plants are classified as pseudocereals that are grown for their edible starchy seeds, but they are not in the same botanical family as ...
is collected from the genus. The leaves of some species are also eaten.
Description
Amaranth is a herbaceous plant
Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials.
Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous"
The fourth edition of t ...
or shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
that is either annual or perennial
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...
across the genus. Flowers vary interspecifically from the presence of 3 or 5 tepal
A tepal is one of the outer parts of a flower (collectively the perianth). The term is used when these parts cannot easily be classified as either sepals or petals. This may be because the parts of the perianth are undifferentiated (i.e. of very ...
s and stamen
The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10
Morphology and terminology
A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...
s, whereas a 7- porate pollen grain structure remains consistent across the family.[ Species across the genus contain concentric rings of ]vascular bundle
A vascular bundle is a part of the transport system in vascular plants. The transport itself happens in the stem, which exists in two forms: xylem and phloem. Both these tissues are present in a vascular bundle, which in addition will inclu ...
s, and fix carbon efficiently with a C4 photosynthetic pathway.[ Leaves are approximately and of oval or elliptical shape that are either opposite or alternate across species, although most leaves are whole and simple with entire margins.][
Amaranth has a primary root with deeper spreading secondary fibrous root structures.] Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Morphologically, it is the modified part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed o ...
s are in the form a large panicle
A panicle is a much-branched inflorescence. (softcover ). Some authors distinguish it from a compound spike inflorescence, by requiring that the flowers (and fruit) be pedicellate (having a single stem per flower). The branches of a panicle are of ...
that varies from terminal to axial, color, and sex. The tassel of fluorescence is either erect or bent and varies in width and length between species. Flowers are radially symmetric and either bisexual or unisexual with very small, bristly perianth
The perianth (perigonium, perigon or perigone in monocots) is the non-reproductive part of the flower, and structure that forms an envelope surrounding the sexual organs, consisting of the calyx (sepals) and the corolla (petals) or tepals when ...
and pointy bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...
s. Species in this genus are either monecious (e.g. '' A. hybridus,'') or dioecious
Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproductio ...
(e.g. '' A. palmeri''). Fruits are in the form of capsules referred to as a ''unilocular
A locule (plural locules) or loculus (plural loculi) (meaning "little place" in Latin) is a small cavity or compartment within an organ or part of an organism (animal, plant, or fungus).
In angiosperms (flowering plants), the term ''locule'' usu ...
pixdio'' that opens at maturity. The top ( operculum) of the unilocular pixdio releases the urn that contains the seed. Seeds are circular form from 1 to 1.5 millimeters in diameter and range in color with a shiny, smooth seed coat. The panicle is harvested 200 days after cultivation with approximately 1,000 to 3,000 seeds harvested per gram.
Chemistry
Amaranth grain contains phytochemical
Phytochemicals are chemical compounds produced by plants, generally to help them resist fungi, bacteria and plant virus infections, and also consumption by insects and other animals. The name comes . Some phytochemicals have been used as poisons ...
s that are not defined as nutrients and may be antinutrient
Antinutrients are natural or synthetic compounds that interfere with the absorption of nutrients. Nutrition studies focus on antinutrients commonly found in food sources and beverages. Antinutrients may take the form of drugs, chemicals that natura ...
factors, such as polyphenol
Polyphenols () are a large family of naturally occurring organic compounds characterized by multiples of phenol units. They are abundant in plants and structurally diverse. Polyphenols include flavonoids, tannic acid, and ellagitannin, some of ...
s, saponin
Saponins (Latin "sapon", soap + "-in", one of), also selectively referred to as triterpene glycosides, are bitter-tasting usually toxic plant-derived organic chemicals that have a foamy quality when agitated in water. They are widely distributed ...
s, tannin
Tannins (or tannoids) are a class of astringent, polyphenolic biomolecules that bind to and precipitate proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids.
The term ''tannin'' (from Anglo-Norman ''tanner'', ...
s, and oxalate
Oxalate (IUPAC: ethanedioate) is an anion with the formula C2O42−. This dianion is colorless. It occurs naturally, including in some foods. It forms a variety of salts, for example sodium oxalate (Na2C2O4), and several esters such as dimethyl o ...
s. These compounds are reduced in content and antinutrient effect by cooking.
Taxonomy
''Amaranthus'' shows a wide variety of morphological diversity among and even within certain species. ''Amaranthus'' is part of the Amaranthaceae that is part of the larger grouping of the Carophyllales.[ Although the family (]Amaranthaceae
Amaranthaceae is a family of flowering plants commonly known as the amaranth family, in reference to its type genus ''Amaranthus''. It includes the former goosefoot family Chenopodiaceae and contains about 165 genera and 2,040 species, making it ...
) is distinctive, the genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
has few distinguishing characters among the 75 species present across six continents.[ This complicates ]taxonomy
Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification.
A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...
and ''Amaranthus'' has generally been considered among systematists as a "difficult" genus and hybridize often.
In 1955, Sauer classified the genus into two subgenera, differentiating only between monoecious and dioecious species: ''Acnida'' (L.) Aellen ex K.R. Robertson and ''Amaranthus''. Although this classification was widely accepted, further infrageneric classification was (and still is) needed to differentiate this widely diverse group. Mosyakin and Robertson 1996 later divided into three subgenera: Acnida, Amaranthus, and Albersia. The support for the addition of the subdivision Albersia because of its indehiscent
Dehiscence is the splitting of a mature plant structure along a built-in line of weakness to release its contents. This is common among fruits, anthers and sporangia. Sometimes this involves the complete detachment of a part; structures that op ...
fruits coupled with three elliptic to linear tepal
A tepal is one of the outer parts of a flower (collectively the perianth). The term is used when these parts cannot easily be classified as either sepals or petals. This may be because the parts of the perianth are undifferentiated (i.e. of very ...
s to be exclusive characters to members of this subgenus. The classification of these groups are further supported with a combination of floral characters, reproductive strategies, geographic distribution, and molecular evidence.
The phylogenies of ''Amaranthus'' using maximum parsimony
In phylogenetics, maximum parsimony is an optimality criterion under which the phylogenetic tree that minimizes the total number of character-state changes (or miminizes the cost of differentially weighted character-state changes) is preferred. ...
and Bayesian
Thomas Bayes (/beɪz/; c. 1701 – 1761) was an English statistician, philosopher, and Presbyterian minister.
Bayesian () refers either to a range of concepts and approaches that relate to statistical methods based on Bayes' theorem, or a followe ...
analysis of nuclear
Nuclear may refer to:
Physics
Relating to the nucleus of the atom:
* Nuclear engineering
*Nuclear physics
*Nuclear power
*Nuclear reactor
*Nuclear weapon
*Nuclear medicine
*Radiation therapy
*Nuclear warfare
Mathematics
*Nuclear space
*Nuclear ...
and chloroplast
A chloroplast () is a type of membrane-bound organelle known as a plastid that conducts photosynthesis mostly in plant and algal cells. The photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll captures the energy from sunlight, converts it, and stores it in ...
gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...
s suggest five clade
A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...
s within the genus: Diecious / Pumilus, Hybris, Galapagos, Eurasian/ South African, Australian (ESA), ESA + South American.[
''Amaranthus'' includes three recognised subgenera and 75 species, although species numbers are questionable due to hybridisation and species concepts.][ Infrageneric classification focuses on inflorescence, flower characters and whether a species is monoecious/dioecious, as in the Sauer (1955) suggested classification.][ Bracteole morphology present on the stem is used for taxonomic classification of Amaranth. Wild species have longer bracteoles compared to cultivated species.] A modified infrageneric classification of ''Amaranthus'' includes three subgenera: '' Acnida'', ''Amaranthus'', and ''Albersia'', with the taxonomy further differentiated by sections within each of the subgenera.
There is near certainty that '' A. hypochondriacus'' is the common ancestor to the cultivated grain species, however the later series of domestication to follow remains unclear. There has been opposing hypotheses of a single as opposed to multiple domestication events of the three grain species. There is evidence of phylogenetic and geographical support for clear groupings that indicate separate domestication events in South America and Central America.[ ''A. hybridus'' may derive from South America, whereas ''A. caudatus'', ''A. hypochondriacus'', and ''A. quentiensis'' are native to Central and North America.][
]
Species
Species include:
* ''Amaranthus acanthochiton
''Amaranthus acanthochiton'', the greenstripe, is an annual plant species of the genus ''Amaranthus'' in the family Amaranthaceae. It is native to the southwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah) and northern Mexico (Chihua ...
'' – greenstripe
* ''Amaranthus acutilobus'' – a synonym of ''Amaranthus viridis
''Amaranthus viridis'' is a cosmopolitan species in the botanical family Amaranthaceae and is commonly known as slender amaranth or green amaranth.
Description
''Amaranthus viridis'' is an annual herb with an upright, light green stem that grows ...
''[
* '' Amaranthus albus'' – white pigweed, tumble pigweed
* '' Amaranthus anderssonii''
* '' Amaranthus arenicola'' – sandhill amaranth
* '']Amaranthus australis
''Amaranthus australis'' is also known as southern amaranth or southern water-hemp. The plant usually grows from in height, though some have been known to grow up to high. The stems can be up to 30 cm in diameter. It is a herbaceous annual ...
'' – southern amaranth
* ''Amaranthus bigelovii
''Amaranthus bigelovii'' is a flowering plant commonly known as Bigelow's amaranth. It is an annual plant native to New Mexico, Texas, and Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South ...
'' – Bigelow's amaranth
* ''Amaranthus blitoides
''Amaranthus blitoides'', commonly called mat amaranth, prostrate pigweed, procumbent pigweed, prostrate amaranth, or matweed, is a Glossary of botanical terms#glabrous, glabrous annual plants species. It usually grows up to 0.6 m, though it may ...
'' – mat amaranth, prostrate amaranth, prostrate pigweed
* ''Amaranthus blitum
''Amaranthus blitum'', commonly called purple amaranth or Guernsey pigweed, is an annual plant species in the economically important plant family Amaranthaceae.
Description
''Amaranthus blitum'' is an erect or semi-prostrate annual plant. The si ...
'' – purple amaranth
* ''Amaranthus brownii
''Amaranthus brownii'' was an annual herb in the family Amaranthaceae. The plant was found only on the small island of Nihoa in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, growing on rocky outcrops at altitudes of . It was one of nine species of ''Ama ...
'' – Brown's amaranth
* ''Amaranthus californicus
''Amaranthus californicus'' is a species of flowering plant in the amaranth family known as California amaranth. It is a glabrous monoecious annual that is native to most of the western United States and Canada
Canada is a country in ...
'' – California amaranth, California pigweed
* ''Amaranthus cannabinus
''Amaranthus cannabinus'' is a plant species also known as salt marsh water hemp or salt marsh pigweed. It is a herbaceous perennial found in most of the eastern United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known ...
'' – tidal-marsh amaranth
* ''Amaranthus caudatus
''Amaranthus caudatus'' (also known as ''Amaranthus edulis'' and ''Amaranthus mantegazzianus'') is a species of annual flowering plant. It goes by common names such as love-lies-bleeding, pendant amaranth, tassel flower, velvet flower, foxtail a ...
'' – love-lies-bleeding, pendant amaranth, tassel flower, ''quilete''
* ''Amaranthus chihuahuensis
''Amaranthus chihuahuensis'' is a species of plant also known as Chihuahuan amaranth. It is not native to the United States. It is found in Oaxaca and Chihuahua in Mexico. Some reports have suggested that it is present in lower Texas
...
'' – Chihuahuan amaranth
* '' Amaranthus crassipes'' – spreading amaranth
* ''Amaranthus crispus
''Amaranthus crispus'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae. It is referred to by the common name crispleaf amaranth. It is a herbaceous, sparsely pubescent annual plant. It can grow up to 0.5 m (1.5 ft) in heig ...
'' – crispleaf amaranth
* ''Amaranthus cruentus
''Amaranthus cruentus'' is a flowering plant species that yields the nutritious staple amaranth grain. It is one of three ''Amaranthus'' species cultivated as a grain source, the other two being ''Amaranthus hypochondriacus'' and ''Amaranthus ca ...
'' – purple amaranth, red amaranth, Mexican grain amaranth
* ''Amaranthus deflexus
''Amaranthus deflexus'' is also known by the common names low amaranth, Argentina amaranth, perennial pigweed, and large-fruit amaranth. It is native to South America, and has been introduced to many other parts of the world. It is a short-lived ...
'' – large-fruit amaranth
* ''Amaranthus dubius
''Amaranthus dubius'', the red spinach, Chinese spinach, (), spleen amaranth, hon-toi-moi, yin choy, hsien tsai, or Arai keerai () is a plant species. It belongs to the economically important family Amaranthaceae.
This plant is native to South ...
'' – spleen amaranth, ''khada sag''
* ''Amaranthus fimbriatus
''Amaranthus fimbriatus'' is a species of glabrous flowering plant in the Amaranthaceae family. It is commonly known as fringed amaranth or fringed pigweed. The plant is an annual herb that can often grow up to 0.7 m (2 ft.) in height. ...
'' – fringed amaranth, fringed pigweed
* ''Amaranthus floridanus
''Amaranthus floridanus'', the Florida amaranth, is a flowering plant endemic to Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest ...
'' – Florida amaranth
* ''Amaranthus furcatus
''Amaranthus furcatus'' is a species of plant in the family Amaranthaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador ...
''
* ''Amaranthus graecizans
''Amaranthus graecizans'', the Mediterranean amaranth or short-tepalled pigweed, is an annual species in the botanical family Amaranthaceae. It is native to Africa, southern Europe, East Asia to India and Central Asia. It is naturalized in North ...
''
* '' Amaranthus grandiflorus''
* '' Amaranthus greggii'' – Gregg's amaranth
* ''Amaranthus hybridus
''Amaranthus hybridus'', commonly called green amaranth, slim amaranth, smooth amaranth, smooth pigweed, or red amaranth, is a species of annual flowering plant. It is a weedy species found now over much of North America and introduced into Europ ...
'' – smooth amaranth, smooth pigweed, red amaranth
* ''Amaranthus hypochondriacus
''Amaranthus hypochondriacus'' is an ornamental plant commonly known as Prince-of-Wales feather or prince's-feather. Originally endemic to Mexico, it is called ''quelite, bledo'' and ''quintonil'' in Spanish.
In Africa and El Salvador, like many ...
'' – Prince-of-Wales feather, prince's feather
* '' Amaranthus interruptus'' – Australian amaranth
* ''Amaranthus minimus
''Amaranthus'' is a cosmopolitan genus of annual or short-lived perennial plants collectively known as amaranths. Some amaranth species are cultivated as leaf vegetables, pseudocereals, and ornamental plants. Catkin-like cymes of densely pac ...
''
* '' Amaranthus mitchellii''
* ''Amaranthus muricatus
''Amaranthus muricatus'', the so-called African amaranth, is a species in the genus ''Amaranthus'' native to South America; Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay. It is an invasive species in Africa, Europe and Australia, and to a lesser degre ...
'' – African amaranth
* ''Amaranthus obcordatus
''Amaranthus'' is a cosmopolitan genus of annual or short-lived perennial plants collectively known as amaranths. Some amaranth species are cultivated as leaf vegetables, pseudocereals, and ornamental plants. Catkin-like cymes of densely pac ...
'' – Trans-Pecos amaranth
* ''Amaranthus palmeri
''Amaranthus palmeri'' is a species of edible flowering plant in the amaranth genus. It has several common names, including carelessweed, dioecious amaranth, Palmer's amaranth, Palmer amaranth, and Palmer's pigweed.
It is native to most of the s ...
'' – Palmer's amaranth, Palmer pigweed, careless weed
* ''Amaranthus polygonoides
''Amaranthus polygonoides'' is a species of flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('c ...
'' – tropical amaranth
* ''Amaranthus powellii
''Amaranthus powellii'' is a species of amaranth known by the common names Powell's amaranth and green amaranth.
It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, but it is common throughout most of the rest of the temperate A ...
'' – green amaranth, Powell amaranth, Powell pigweed
* ''Amaranthus pringlei
''Amaranthus'' is a cosmopolitan genus of annual or short-lived perennial plants collectively known as amaranths. Some amaranth species are cultivated as leaf vegetables, pseudocereals, and ornamental plants. Catkin-like cymes of densely pac ...
'' – Pringle's amaranth
* ''Amaranthus pumilus
''Amaranthus pumilus'', the seaside amaranth or seabeach amaranth, is a species of amaranth. This annual plant is now a threatened species, although it was formerly scattered along the eastern coast of the United States, its native range.
His ...
'' – seaside amaranth
* ''Amaranthus quitensis
''Amaranthus hybridus'', commonly called green amaranth, slim amaranth, smooth amaranth, smooth pigweed, or red amaranth, is a species of annual flowering plant. It is a weedy species found now over much of North America and introduced into Europ ...
'' - Mucronate Amaranth
* ''Amaranthus retroflexus
''Amaranthus retroflexus'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae with several common names, including red-root amaranth, redroot pigweed, red-rooted pigweed, common amaranth, pigweed amaranth, and common tumbleweed. page 47 ...
'' – red-root amaranth, redroot pigweed, common amaranth
* Amaranthus saradhiana
''Amaranthus'' is a cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan genus of annual plant, annual or short-lived perennial plants collectively known as amaranths. Some amaranth species are cultivated as leaf vegetables, pseudocereals, and ornamental pl ...
* ''Amaranthus scleranthoides'' – variously ''Amaranthus sclerantoides
''Amaranthus sclerantoides'' is a species of plant in the family Amaranthaceae. It is endemic to Ecuador
Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecua ...
''
* ''Amaranthus scleropoides
''Amaranthus'' is a cosmopolitan genus of annual or short-lived perennial plants collectively known as amaranths. Some amaranth species are cultivated as leaf vegetables, pseudocereals, and ornamental plants. Catkin-like cymes of densely pac ...
'' – bone-bract amaranth
* ''Amaranthus spinosus
''Amaranthus spinosus'', commonly known as the spiny amaranth, spiny pigweed, prickly amaranth or thorny amaranth, is a plant that is native to the tropical Americas, but is present on most continents as an introduced species and sometimes a nox ...
'' – spiny amaranth, prickly amaranth, thorny amaranth
* '' Amaranthus standleyanus''
* ''Amaranthus thunbergii
''Amaranthus thunbergii'', commonly known as Thunberg's amaranthus or Thunberg's pigweed, is found in Africa.
The leaves are used as a flavouring or leafy vegetable.Grubben, G.J.H. & Denton, O.A. (2004) Plant Resources of Tropical Africa 2. Vege ...
'' – Thunberg's amaranth
* ''Amaranthus torreyi
''Amaranthus torreyi'' is a species of flowering plant that is sometimes considered to be a synonym of ''Amaranthus watsonii
''Amaranthus watsonii'' is a species of amaranth known by the common name Watson's amaranth. It is native to the south ...
'' – Torrey's amaranth
* ''Amaranthus tricolor
''Amaranthus tricolor'', known as edible amaranth, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Amaranthus'', part of the family Amaranthaceae.
The plant is often cultivated for ornamental and culinary purposes. It is known as bireum in Korea ...
'' – Joseph's-coat
* ''Amaranthus tuberculatus
''Amaranthus tuberculatus'', commonly known as roughfruit amaranth, rough-fruited water-hemp, tall waterhemp, or common waterhemp, is a species of flowering plant. It is a summer annual broadleaf with a germination period that lasts several mont ...
'' – rough-fruit amaranth, tall waterhemp
* ''Amaranthus viridis
''Amaranthus viridis'' is a cosmopolitan species in the botanical family Amaranthaceae and is commonly known as slender amaranth or green amaranth.
Description
''Amaranthus viridis'' is an annual herb with an upright, light green stem that grows ...
'' – slender amaranth, green amaranth
* ''Amaranthus watsonii
''Amaranthus watsonii'' is a species of amaranth known by the common name Watson's amaranth. It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in sandy places such as deserts and beaches, and disturbed areas. It i ...
'' – Watson's amaranth
* ''Amaranthus wrightii
''Amaranthus wrightii'' is a species of flowering plant. It goes by the common name of Wright's amaranth. It occurs from western Texas into southern Arizona and as far north as Colorado at elevations between .
Description
''Amaranthus wrightii' ...
'' – Wright's amaranth
Etymology
"Amaranth" derives from Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
(), "unfading", with the Greek word for "flower", (), factoring into the word's development as ''amaranth, the unfading flower''. ''Amarant'' is an archaic variant. The name was first applied to the related ''Celosia
''Celosia'' ( ) is a small genus of edible and ornamental plants in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. The generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek word (), meaning "burning", and refers to the flame-like flower heads. Species are commonl ...
'' (''Amaranthus'' and ''Celosia'' share long-lasting dried flowers), as ''Amaranthus'' plants were not yet known in Europe.
Ecology
Amaranth weed species have an extended period of germination, rapid growth, and high rates of seed production, and have been causing problems for farmers since the mid-1990s. This is partially due to the reduction in tillage
Tillage is the agricultural preparation of soil by mechanical agitation of various types, such as digging, stirring, and overturning. Examples of human-powered tilling methods using hand tools include shoveling, picking, mattock work, hoein ...
, reduction in herbicidal use and the evolution of herbicidal resistance in several species where herbicides have been applied more often. The following 9 species of ''Amaranthus'' are considered invasive and noxious weeds in the U.S and Canada: '' A. albus'', '' A. blitoides'', '' A. hybridus'', '' A. palmeri'', '' A. powellii'', '' A. retroflexus'', '' A. spinosus'', '' A. tuberculatus'', and '' A. viridis''.
A new herbicide-resistant strain of ''A. palmeri'' has appeared; it is glyphosate
Glyphosate (IUPAC name: ''N''-(phosphonomethyl)glycine) is a broad-spectrum Herbicide, systemic herbicide and Crop desiccation, crop desiccant. It is an organophosphorus compound, specifically a phosphonate, which acts by inhibiting the plan ...
-resistant and so cannot be killed by herbicides using the chemical. Also, this plant can survive in tough conditions. The species ''Amaranthus palmeri'' (Palmer amaranth) causes the greatest reduction in soybean
The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses.
Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu an ...
yields and has the potential to reduce yields by 17-68% in field experiments. Palmer amaranth is among the "top five most troublesome weeds" in the southeast of the United States and has already evolved resistances to dinitroaniline Dinitroanilines are a class of chemical compounds with the chemical formula C6H5N3O4. They are derived from both aniline and dinitrobenzenes. There are six isomers: 2,3-dinitroaniline, 2,4-dinitroaniline, 2,5-dinitroaniline, 2,6-dinitroaniline, 3, ...
herbicides and acetolactate synthase inhibitors. This makes the proper identification of ''Amaranthus'' species at the seedling stage essential for agriculturalists. Proper weed control needs to be applied before the species successfully colonizes in the crop field and causes significant yield reductions.
An evolutionary lineage of around 90 species within the genus has acquired the carbon fixation pathway, which increases their photosynthetic efficiency. This probably occurred in the Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...
.
Uses
All parts of the plant are considered edible, though some may have sharp spines that need to be removed before consumption.
Nutrition
Uncooked amaranth grain
Species belonging to the genus ''Amaranthus'' have been cultivated for their grains for 8,000 years. Amaranth plants are classified as pseudocereals that are grown for their edible starchy seeds, but they are not in the same botanical family as ...
by weight is 12% water, 65% carbohydrate
In organic chemistry, a carbohydrate () is a biomolecule consisting of carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) atoms, usually with a hydrogen–oxygen atom ratio of 2:1 (as in water) and thus with the empirical formula (where ''m'' may or ma ...
s (including 7% dietary fiber
Dietary fiber (in British English fibre) or roughage is the portion of plant-derived food that cannot be completely broken down by human digestive enzymes. Dietary fibers are diverse in chemical composition, and can be grouped generally by the ...
), 14% protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...
, and 7% fat
In nutrition science, nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such chemical compound, compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food.
The term often refers spec ...
(table). A reference serving of uncooked amaranth grain provides of food energy
Food energy is chemical energy that animals (including humans) derive from their food to sustain their metabolism, including their muscle, muscular activity.
Most animals derive most of their energy from aerobic respiration, namely combining the ...
, and is a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value
The Reference Daily Intake (RDI) used in nutrition labeling on food and dietary supplement products in the U.S. and Canada is the daily intake level of a nutrient that is considered to be sufficient to meet the requirements of 97–98% of health ...
, DV) of protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...
, dietary fiber
Dietary fiber (in British English fibre) or roughage is the portion of plant-derived food that cannot be completely broken down by human digestive enzymes. Dietary fibers are diverse in chemical composition, and can be grouped generally by the ...
, pantothenic acid
Pantothenic acid, also called vitamin B5 is a water-soluble B vitamin and therefore an essential nutrient. All animals require pantothenic acid in order to synthesize coenzyme A (CoA) – essential for fatty acid metabolism – as well as to, i ...
, vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 is one of the B vitamins, and thus an essential nutrient. The term refers to a group of six chemically similar compounds, i.e., "vitamers", which can be interconverted in biological systems. Its active form, pyridoxal 5′-phosphat ...
, folate
Folate, also known as vitamin B9 and folacin, is one of the B vitamins. Manufactured folic acid, which is converted into folate by the body, is used as a dietary supplement and in food fortification as it is more stable during processing and ...
, and several dietary minerals
In the context of nutrition, a mineral is a chemical element required as an essential nutrient by organisms to perform functions necessary for life. However, the four major structural elements in the human body by weight (oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, ...
(table). Uncooked amaranth is particularly rich in manganese
Manganese is a chemical element with the symbol Mn and atomic number 25. It is a hard, brittle, silvery metal, often found in minerals in combination with iron. Manganese is a transition metal with a multifaceted array of industrial alloy use ...
(159% DV), phosphorus
Phosphorus is a chemical element with the symbol P and atomic number 15. Elemental phosphorus exists in two major forms, white phosphorus and red phosphorus, but because it is highly reactive, phosphorus is never found as a free element on Ear ...
(80% DV), magnesium
Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ta ...
(70% DV), iron
Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...
(59% DV), and selenium
Selenium is a chemical element with the symbol Se and atomic number 34. It is a nonmetal (more rarely considered a metalloid) with properties that are intermediate between the elements above and below in the periodic table, sulfur and tellurium, ...
(34% DV). Cooking decreases its nutritional value substantially across all nutrients, with only dietary minerals remaining at moderate levels. Cooked amaranth leaves are a rich source of vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and an essential nutrient for humans. It is a group of organic compounds that includes retinol, retinal (also known as retinaldehyde), retinoic acid, and several provitamin A carotenoids (most notably bet ...
, vitamin C
Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid and ascorbate) is a water-soluble vitamin found in citrus and other fruits and vegetables, also sold as a dietary supplement and as a topical 'serum' ingredient to treat melasma (dark pigment spots) an ...
, calcium
Calcium is a chemical element with the symbol Ca and atomic number 20. As an alkaline earth metal, calcium is a reactive metal that forms a dark oxide-nitride layer when exposed to air. Its physical and chemical properties are most similar to ...
, and manganese, with moderate levels of folate, iron, magnesium, and potassium
Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K (from Neo-Latin ''kalium'') and atomic number19. Potassium is a silvery-white metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife with little force. Potassium metal reacts rapidly with atmosphe ...
. Amaranth does not contain gluten
Gluten is a structural protein naturally found in certain cereal grains. Although "gluten" often only refers to wheat proteins, in medical literature it refers to the combination of prolamin and glutelin proteins naturally occurring in all grain ...
.
History
The native range of the genus is cosmopolitan. In pre-Hispanic times, amaranth was cultivated by the Aztec and their tributary communities in a quantity very similar to maize. Known to the Aztecs
The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different Indigenous peoples of Mexico, ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those g ...
as , amaranth is thought to have represented up to 80% of their energy consumption before the Spanish conquest
The Spanish Empire ( es, link=no, Imperio español), also known as the Hispanic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Hispánica) or the Catholic Monarchy ( es, link=no, Monarquía Católica) was a colonial empire governed by Spain and its predece ...
. Another important use of amaranth throughout Mesoamerica
Mesoamerica is a historical region and cultural area in southern North America and most of Central America. It extends from approximately central Mexico through Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and northern Costa Rica. W ...
was in ritual drinks and foods. To this day, amaranth grain
Species belonging to the genus ''Amaranthus'' have been cultivated for their grains for 8,000 years. Amaranth plants are classified as pseudocereals that are grown for their edible starchy seeds, but they are not in the same botanical family as ...
s are toasted much like popcorn and mixed with honey
Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...
, molasses
Molasses () is a viscous substance resulting from refining sugarcane or sugar beets into sugar. Molasses varies in the amount of sugar, method of extraction and age of the plant. Sugarcane molasses is primarily used to sweeten and flavour foods ...
, or chocolate
Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cacao seed kernels that is available as a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring agent in other foods. Cacao has been consumed in some form since at least the Olmec civ ...
to make a treat called , meaning "joy" in Spanish.
While all species are believed to be native to the New World, several have been cultivated and introduced to warm regions worldwide. Amaranth's cosmopolitan distribution makes it one of many plants providing evidence of pre-Columbian oceanic contact. The earliest archeological evidence for amaranth in the Old World was found in an excavation in Narhan, India, dated to 1000–800 BCE.
Because of its importance as a symbol of indigenous culture, its palatability, ease of cooking, and a protein that is particularly well-suited to human nutritional needs, interest in amaranth seeds (especially ''A. cruentus'' and ''A. hypochondriacus'') revived in the 1970s. It was recovered in Mexico from wild varieties and is now commercially cultivated. It is a popular snack in Mexico, sometimes mixed with chocolate or puffed rice, and its use has spread to Europe and other parts of North America.
Seed
Several species are raised for amaranth "grain" in Asia and the Americas. Amaranth and its relative quinoa
Quinoa (''Chenopodium quinoa''; , from Quechua ' or ') is a flowering plant in the amaranth family. It is a herbaceous annual plant grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds; the seeds are rich in protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, and ...
are considered pseudocereal
A pseudocereal or pseudograin is one of any non-grasses that are used in much the same way as cereals (true cereals are grasses). Pseudocereals can be further distinguished from other non-cereal staple crops (such as potatoes) by their being pro ...
s because of their similarities to cereals in flavor and cooking. The spread of ''Amaranthus'' is of a joint effort of human expansion, adaptation, and fertilization strategies. Grain amaranth has been used for food by humans in several ways. The grain can be ground into a flour for use like other grain flours. It can be popped like popcorn, or flaked like oatmeal.
Seeds of Amaranth grain have been found in Antofagasta de la Sierra Department
Antofagasta de la Sierra is the northernmost Departments of Argentina, department of Catamarca Province in Argentina.
The provincial subdivision has a population of about 1,300 inhabitants in an area of , and its capital city is Antofagasta de ...
, Catamarca, Argentina in the southern Puna desert of the north of Argentina dating from 4,500 years ago, with evidence suggesting earlier use. Archeological evidence of seeds from ''A. hypochondriacus'' and ''A. crutenus'' found in a cave in Tehuacán "By faith and hope"
,
, image_map =
, mapsize = 300 px
, map_caption = Location of Tehuacán within the state of Puebla.
, image_map1 = Puebla en México.svg
, mapsize1 = 300 px
, ma ...
, Mexico, suggests amaranth was part of Aztec civilization in the 1400s.
Ancient amaranth grains still used include the three species ''Amaranthus caudatus
''Amaranthus caudatus'' (also known as ''Amaranthus edulis'' and ''Amaranthus mantegazzianus'') is a species of annual flowering plant. It goes by common names such as love-lies-bleeding, pendant amaranth, tassel flower, velvet flower, foxtail a ...
'', '' A. cruentus'', and ''A. hypochondriacus''. Evidence from single-nucleotide polymorphism
In genetics, a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP ; plural SNPs ) is a germline substitution of a single nucleotide at a specific position in the genome. Although certain definitions require the substitution to be present in a sufficiently lar ...
s and chromosome structure Eukaryotic chromosome structure refers to the levels of packaging from raw DNA molecules to the chromosomal structures seen during metaphase in mitosis or meiosis. Chromosomes contain long strands of DNA containing genetic information. Compared to ...
supports ''A. hypochondriacus'' as the common ancestor of the three grain species.
It has been proposed as an inexpensive native crop that could be cultivated by indigenous people in rural areas for several reasons:
* A small amount of seed plants a large area (seeding rate 1 kg/ha).
* Yields are high compared to the seeding rate: 1,000 kg or more per hectare.
* It is easily harvested and easily processed, post harvest, as there are no hulls to remove.
* Its seeds are a source of protein.[De Macvean & Pöll (1997). Chapter 8: Ethnobotany. Tropical Tree Seed Manual, USDA Forest Service, edt. J.A Vozzo.]
* It has rich content of the dietary mineral
In the context of nutrition, a mineral is a chemical element required as an essential nutrient by organisms to perform functions necessary for life. However, the four major structural elements in the human body by weight (oxygen, hydrogen, carbon ...
s, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.[
* In cooked and edible forms, amaranth retains adequate content of several ]dietary minerals
In the context of nutrition, a mineral is a chemical element required as an essential nutrient by organisms to perform functions necessary for life. However, the four major structural elements in the human body by weight (oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, ...
.
* It is easy to cook. Boil in water with twice the amount of water as grain by volume (or 2.4 times as much water by weight). Amaranth seed can also be popped one tablespoon at a time in a hot pan without oil, shaken every few seconds to avoid burning.
* It grows fast and, in three cultivated species, the large seedheads can weigh up to 1 kg and contain a half-million small seeds.
In the United States, the amaranth crop is mostly used for seed production. Most amaranth in American food products starts as a ground flour, blended with wheat or other flours to create cereals, crackers, cookies, bread or other baked products. Despite utilization studies showing that amaranth can be blended with other flours at levels above 50% without affecting functional properties or taste, most commercial products use amaranth only as a minor portion of their ingredients despite them being marketed as "amaranth" products.
Leaves, roots, and stems
Amaranth species are cultivated and consumed as a leaf vegetable
Leaf vegetables, also called leafy greens, pot herbs, vegetable greens, or simply greens, are plant leaves eaten as a vegetable, sometimes accompanied by tender petioles and shoots. Leaf vegetables eaten raw in a salad can be called salad gre ...
in many parts of the world. Four species of ''Amaranthus'' are documented as cultivated vegetables in eastern Asia: ''Amaranthus cruentus
''Amaranthus cruentus'' is a flowering plant species that yields the nutritious staple amaranth grain. It is one of three ''Amaranthus'' species cultivated as a grain source, the other two being ''Amaranthus hypochondriacus'' and ''Amaranthus ca ...
'', ''Amaranthus blitum
''Amaranthus blitum'', commonly called purple amaranth or Guernsey pigweed, is an annual plant species in the economically important plant family Amaranthaceae.
Description
''Amaranthus blitum'' is an erect or semi-prostrate annual plant. The si ...
, Amaranthus dubius
''Amaranthus dubius'', the red spinach, Chinese spinach, (), spleen amaranth, hon-toi-moi, yin choy, hsien tsai, or Arai keerai () is a plant species. It belongs to the economically important family Amaranthaceae.
This plant is native to South ...
'', and ''Amaranthus tricolor
''Amaranthus tricolor'', known as edible amaranth, is a species of flowering plant in the genus ''Amaranthus'', part of the family Amaranthaceae.
The plant is often cultivated for ornamental and culinary purposes. It is known as bireum in Korea ...
''.
Asia
In Indonesia and Malaysia, leaf amaranth is called (although the word has since been loaned to refer to spinach
Spinach (''Spinacia oleracea'') is a leafy green flowering plant native to central and western Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common edible vegetable consumed either f ...
, in a different genus). In the Philippines, the Ilocano language, Ilocano word for the plant is ; the Tagalog language, Tagalog word for the plant is or .
In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in India, it is called ' and is a popular red leafy vegetable (referred to in the class of vegetable preparations called '). It is called ''chua'' in Kumaun area of Uttarakhand, where it is a popular red-green vegetable. In Karnataka in India, it is called '' ()'' . It is used to prepare curries such as ''hulee, palya, majjigay-hulee'', and so on. In Kerala, it is called ''cheera'' and is consumed by stir-frying the leaves with spices and red chili peppers to make a dish called ''cheera thoran''. In Tamil Nadu, it is called ' and is regularly consumed as a favourite dish, where the greens are steamed and mashed with light seasoning of salt, red chili pepper, and cumin. It is called '. In the states of ''Andhra Pradesh and Telangana'' and other Telugu speaking regions of the country, this leaf is called as "''Thotakura''" and is cooked as a standalone curry, added as a part of mix leafy vegetable curry or added in preparation of a popular ''dal'' called in (Telugu language, Telugu). In Maharashtra, it is called ' and is available in both red and white colour. In Orissa, it is called ', it is used to prepare ', in which the leaf is fried with chili and onions. In West Bengal, the green variant is called '' () and the red variant is called '' ().
In China, the leaves and stems are used as a stir-fry vegetable, or in soups. In Vietnam, it is called and is used to make soup. Two species are popular as edible vegetable in Vietnam: (''Amaranthus tricolor'') and or (''Amaranthus viridis'').
Africa
A traditional food plant in Africa, amaranth has the potential to improve nutrition, boost food security, foster rural development and support sustainable land care.
In Bantu regions of Uganda and western Kenya, it is known as ''doodo'' or ''litoto''. It is also known among the Kalenjin people, Kalenjin as a drought crop (''chepkerta''). In Lingala language, Lingala (spoken in the Congo), it is known as or . In Nigeria, it is a common vegetable and goes with all Nigerian starch dishes. It is known in Yoruba language, Yoruba as , a short form of (meaning "make the husband fat"), or (meaning "we have money left over for fish"). In Botswana, it is referred to as ''morug'' and cooked as a staple green vegetable.
Europe
In Greece, purple amaranth (''Amaranthus blitum, Amaranthus Blitum'') is a popular dish called , or . It is boiled, then served with olive oil and lemon juice like a salad, sometimes alongside fried fish. Greeks stop harvesting the plant (which also grows wild) when it starts to bloom at the end of August.
Americas
In Brazil, green amaranth was, and to a degree still is, often considered an invasive species as all other species of amaranth (except the generally imported ''A. caudatus'' cultivar), though some have traditionally appreciated it as a leaf vegetable, under the names of or , which is consumed cooked, generally accompanying the staple food, rice and beans.
In the Caribbean, the leaves are called ''bhaji'' in Trinidad and ''callaloo'' in Jamaica, and are sautéed with onions, garlic, and tomatoes, or sometimes used in a soup called pepperpot soup.
Oil
Making up about 5% of the total fatty acids of amaranth, squalene is extracted as a vegetable-based alternative to the more expensive shark oil for use in dietary supplements and cosmetics.
Dyes
The flowers of the 'Hopi Red Dye' amaranth were used by the Hopi (a tribe in the western United States) as the source of a deep red natural dye, dye. Also a synthetic dye was named "Amaranth (dye), amaranth" for its similarity in color to the natural amaranth pigments known as betalains. This synthetic dye is also known as Red No. 2 in North America and E123 in the European Union.
Ornamentals
The genus also contains several well-known ornamental plants, such as ''Amaranthus caudatus'' (love-lies-bleeding), a vigorous, hardiness (plants), hardy annual with dark purplish flowers crowded in handsome drooping spikes. Another Indian annual, ''A. hypochondriacus'' (prince's feather), has deeply veined, lance-shaped leaves, purple on the under face, and deep crimson flowers densely packed on erect spikes.
Amaranths are recorded as food plants for some Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species including the Nutmeg (moth), nutmeg moth and various case-bearer moths of the genus ''Coleophora'': ''C. amaranthella'', ''C. enchorda'' (feeds exclusively on ''Amaranthus''), ''C. immortalis'' (feeds exclusively on ''Amaranthus''), ''C. lineapulvella'', and ''C. versurella'' (recorded on ''A. spinosus'').
Culture
Diego Durán described the festivities for the Aztec god . The Aztec month of (7 December to 26 December) was dedicated to . People decorated their homes and trees with paper flags; ritual races, processions, dances, songs, prayers, and finally human sacrifices were held. This was one of the more important Aztec festivals, and the people prepared for the whole month. They fasted or ate very little; a statue of the god was made out of amaranth seeds and honey, and at the end of the month, it was cut into small pieces so everybody could eat a piece of the god. After the Spanish conquest, cultivation of amaranth was outlawed, while some of the festivities were subsumed into the Christmas celebration.
Amaranth is associated with longevity and, poetically, with death and immortality. Amaranth garlands were used in the mourning of Achilles.
John Milton's ''Paradise Lost'' portrays a showy amaranth in the Garden of Eden, "remov'd from Heav'n" when it blossoms because the flowers "shade the fountain of life". He describes amaranth as "immortal" in reference to the flowers that generally do not wither and retain bright reddish tones of color, even when deceased; referred to in one species as "Amaranthus caudatus, love-lies-bleeding."
Gallery
Amaranthus caudatus1.jpg, Love-lies-bleeding (''Amaranthus caudatus, A. caudatus'')
Amaranthus.hybridus1web.jpg, Green amaranth (''A. hybridus'')
Amaranth2.jpg, Amaranthus pumilus, Seabeach amaranth (''A. pumilus''), an amaranth on the Federal Threatened species List
Illustration Amaranthus retroflexus0.jpg, Red-root amaranth (''A. retroflexus'')—from Thomé, ''Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz'' 1885
Amaranthus.spinosus1web.jpg, Spiny amaranth ('' A. spinosus'')
Amaranthus.viridis1web.jpg, Green amaranth ('' A. viridis'')
Amaranth sp 2.jpg, Popping amaranth (''Amaranthus sp.'')
Fepm (8).jpg, Amaranth from Chilpancingo
See also
* Ancient grains
References
Further reading
* Howard, Brian Clark.
Amaranth: Another Ancient Wonder Food, But Who Will Eat It?
. National Geographic Society, National Geographic Online, August 12, 2013.
* Fanton M., Fanton J. ''Amaranth'' The Seed Savers' Handbook. (1993)
* Assad, R., Reshi, Z. A., Jan, S., & Rashid, I. (2017). Biology of amaranths. The Botanical Review, 83(4), 382–436.
External links
Grain amaranth, Crops For A Future
{{Authority control
Amaranthus,
Leaf vegetables
Tropical agriculture
Asian vegetables
Pseudocereals
E-number additives