Flora Medica

AMARANTHACEJE.Nat. syst.ed. 2. p. 207.GOMPHRENA.Bractlets 2, coloured, carinate, enveloping the 5 sepals. Tubeof stamens 5-cleft ;segments 2- or 3-cleft or denticulate, havingin their middle cylindrical1 -celled anthers. Style single ; stigmas2, cylindrical. Utricle closed, 1 -seeded.718. G. officinalis Mart. nov. gen. and sp.ii. 1. 101, 102. Aug.de St. Hil.pl. us. No. 31. South and middle of Brazil.Root perennial, tuberous, sometimes as large as the fist, ratherwoody internally. Stems ascending, from a span to a foot high, reddishgreen,very hairy or shaggy. Leaves in 3 or 4 pairs on each stem,ovate or oval, short stalked, mucronulate, shaggy like the stems.Flowers capitate, deep-red, shining. Heads terminal, sometimes as muchas 3 inches in diameter, hemispherical, compact, surrounded by aninvolucre of several rows of acute bracts. An external bractlet to eachflower, long, acuminate-triangular, dry, membranous, scarlet in the"middle ;inner bractlets deep scarlet. Calyx of the same colour.The Brazilians employ the root for nearly the same purposes as AristolochiaSerpentaria isemployed in North America ; it appears to be astimulating tonic. The thick clubshaped root is chiefly used in spasms,dyspepsy, intermittent fevers, diarrhoea, &c., and is called Paratodo.718* Amaranthus viridis L. and melancholicus L. respectivelycalled Caruru and Caruru vermelho in Brazil, are used inthat country for emollient poultices.* * Amaranthus obtusifolius is mentioned as a diuretic : but such aspecies is not to be found in systematical works.CHENOPODIACE^E.Nat. syst.ed. 2. p. 208.CHENOPODIUM.Calyx inferior, in 5 deep, ovate, concave, permanent segments,membranous at the edges. Filaments awl-shaped, opposite tothe segments,. and about as long. Anthers of 2 round lobes.Ovary orbicular, depressed. Styles short. Stigmas obtuse. Seed347