Scientific Family
Amaranthaceae
Synonyms
A. bigelovii
Other common names
Torrey's amaranth
sandhill amaranth
Watson's amaranth
amaranth
careless weed
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Annual
Height
4 to 28 inches
Riparian
No
Multi-branched near base. Erect or ascending.
Sepals and petals of pistillate flowers spatulate. Inflorescences in axillary clusters, toward apex aggregated in spikes (rarely spicate
panicles), axils leafy (occasionally almost leafless distally).
Habitat
Sandy, rocky, and gravelly flats, slopes, canyons, washes, other disturbed habitats.
Plant Community
Disturbed Areas
Low elevation
3200
High elevation
5600
Flower Characteristics
Have 5 very small sepals. Staminate flowers have 3 stamens. Pistillate flowers are narrowly spoon-shaped, with rounded to slightly notched tips. Has axillary clusters distributed to stem
base while crowded above into a terminal, leafy spike.
Flower color
Green
Flower shape
Other
Tubular
No
First bloom month
August
Last bloom month
October
Flower clusters
Elongated
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate leaf blade is 1/2 inch to 2 inches long. Leaf stalk is less than half as long as the blade. Leaf margins can be wavy.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Narrow
Leaf margin
Smooth
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
None
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Fruit is utricle (a small bladdery one-seeded fruit); slightly greater than 1/16 inch.
Fruit type
Other
Fruit color
Black
Seeds are very small, black, smooth and shiny.