Amaranthus
Amaranthus caudatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Caryophyllales Family: Amaranthaceae Subfamily: Amaranthoideae Genus: Amaranthus L.
Species
Amaranthus acanthochiton greenstripe Amaranthus acutilobius sharp-lobe amaranth Amaranthus albus white pigweed, prostrate pigweed, pigweed amaranth Amaranthus arenicola sandhill amaranth Amaranthus australis southern amaranth Amaranthus bigelovii Bigelow's amaranth Amaranthus blitoides mat amaranth, prostrate amaranth, prostrate pigweed Amaranthus blitum purple amaranth Amaranthus brownii Brown's amaranth Amaranthus californicus California amaranth, California pigweed Amaranthus cannabinus tidal-marsh amaranth Amaranthus caudatus love-lies-bleeding, pendant amaranth, tassel flower, quilete Amaranthus chihuahuensis chihuahuan amaranth Amaranthus chlorostachys Amaranthus crassipes spreading amaranth Amaranthus crispus crispleaf amaranth Amaranthus cruentus purple amaranth, red amaranth, Mexican grain amaranth Amaranthus deflexus large-fruit amaranth Amaranthus dubius spleen amaranth, khada sag Amaranthus fimbriatus fringed amaranth, fringed pigweed Amaranthus floridanus Florida amaranth Amaranthus gangeticus elephant head amaranth Amaranthus graecizans Amaranthus greggii Gregg's amaranth Amaranthus hybridus smooth amaranth, smooth pigweed, red amaranth Amaranthus hypochondriacus Prince-of-Wales-feather, princess feather Amaranthus leucocarpus Amaranthus lineatus Australian amaranth Amaranthus lividus Amaranthus mantegazzianus Quinoa de Castilla Amaranthus minimus Amaranthus muricatus African amaranth Amaranthus obcordatus Trans-Pecos amaranth Amaranthus oleraceous Kosala Sag Amaranthus palmeri Palmer's amaranth, palmer pigweed, careless weed Amaranthus paniculus Reuzen amarant Amaranthus polygonoides tropical amaranth Amaranthus powelii green amaranth, Powell amaranth, Powell pigweed Amaranthus pringlei Pringle's amaranth Amaranthus pumilus seaside amaranth Amaranthus quitensis ataco, sangorache Amaranthus retroflexus red-root amaranth, redroot pigweed, common amaranth Amaranthus rudis tall amaranth, common waterhemp Amaranthus scleropoides bone-bract amaranth Amaranthus spinosus spiny amaranth, prickly amaranth, thorny amaranth Amaranthus standleyanus Amaranthus thunbergii Thunberg's amaranth Amaranthus torreyi Torrey's amaranth Amaranthus tricolor Joseph's-coat Amaranthus tuberculatus rough-fruit amaranth, tall waterhemp Amaranthus viridis slender amaranth, green amaranth Amaranthus watsonii Watson's amaranth Amaranthus wrightii Wright's amaranth

Amaranthus, collectively known as amaranth or pigweed, is a cosmopolitan genus of herbs. Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Magnoliopsida is the Botanical name for a class of Flowering plants By definition the class will include the family Magnoliaceae, but its Caryophyllales is an order of Flowering plants that includes the cacti, carnations Amaranths Ice plants and most The Flowering plant family Amaranthaceae, the Amaranth family contains about 160 genera and 2400 species The Amaranthoideae is a subfamily of the Amaranthaceae. The genera Amaranthus (the amaranths and Celosia (the cockscombs Carl Linnaeus (Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as, May 23 new style (13 May old style 1707 who laid the foundations for Amaranthus acanthochiton ( Greenstripe) is an annual plant species of the genus Amaranthus in the Amaranthaceae family Amaranthus albus is an annual species of Flowering plant. It has several common names including white pigweed, prostrate pigweed, and Amaranthus arenicola, commonly called sand amaranth or sandhill amaranth, is a plant species found in many states of the contiguous Amaranthus australis is also known as southern amaranth or southern water-hemp Amaranthus bigelovii is a Plant species commonly known as Bigelow's amaranth Amaranthus blitoides, commonly called Prostate amaranth, Matweed, or Mat amaranth, is a Glabrous annual plants species Amaranthus blitum, commonly called purple amaranth is an annual plant species in economically-important plant family Amaranthaceae. Amaranthus brownii, also known as Brown's amaranth, or more commonly pigweed, is an annual herb in the Amaranthaceae family Amaranthus californicus is a species of flowering plant in the amaranth family known by the common name California amaranth. Amaranthus cannabinus is also known as salt marsh water hemp or salt marsh pigweed Amaranthus caudatus is a species of annual Flowering plant. It goes by Common names such as love-lies-bleeding pendant amaranth tassel flower velvet Amaranthus chihuahuensis is known as Chihuahuan amaranth It is not native to the United States. Amaranthus chlorostachys is a species of Flowering plant. It has been suggested that it is a subspecies of Amaranthus hybridus. Amaranthus crassipes, also known as spreading amaranth, is a Glabrous Annual plant that is both native and introduced in the United Amaranthus crispus is also known as crisp amaranth. It is a Herbaceous, sparsely pubescent annual Amaranthus cruentus is a common Flowering plant species that yields the nutritious staple Amaranth grain. Amaranthus deflexus is also known by the common names large-fruit amaranth, low amaranth, and Argentina amaranth, since it is native to Amaranthus dubius is belongs to the economically-important plant family Amaranthaceae. Amaranthus fimbriatus is a species of Glabrous Flowering plant. Amaranthus floridanus is a Flowering plant that can grow up to 1 Amaranthus gangeticus is also known as elephant-head amaranth Amaranthus graecizans is an African species in the botanical family Amaranthaceae. Amaranthus greggii is also known as Gregg's amaranth or Josiah amaranth Amaranthus hybridus, commonly called Smooth Amaranth, Smooth Pigweed, Red Amaranth, or Slim Amaranth, is a species of annual Amaranthus hypochondriacus is an Ornamental plant commonly known as the Prince-of-Wales-feather or Prince's feather Amaranthus blitum, commonly called purple amaranth is an annual plant species in economically-important plant family Amaranthaceae. Amaranthus mantegazzianus is a species of Flowering plant. It goes by the common name of Quinoa de Castilla Amaranthus palmeri is a species of Flowering plant in the Amaranth genus Amaranthus polygonoides is a species of Flowering plant. It goes by the common name of Tropical Amaranth Amaranthus pumilus, the Seaside amaranth (or Sea beach amaranth is a Species of Amaranth. Amaranthus quitensis is a species of Flowering plant. It goes by common names such as Ataco Sangorache Amaranthus retroflexus is a species of Flowering plant with several common names including Red-root Amaranth Redroot Pigweed Common Amaranth Amaranthus spinosus, commonly known as spiny amaranth prickly amaranth or thorny amaranth Amaranthus thunbergii, commonly known as Thunberg's amaranth is found in Africa Amaranthus torreyi is a species of Flowering plant. Its common name is Torrey's Amaranth Amaranthus tricolor is an Ornamental plant known as Joseph's coat. Amaranthus tuberculatus, commonly known as tall waterhemp or roughfruit amaranth, is a species of Flowering plant. Amaranthus viridis is a cosmopolitan species in the botanical family Amaranthaceae and is commonly known as Slender Amaranth or Green Amaranth Amaranthus wrightii is a species of Flowering plant. It goes by the common name of Wright's Amaranth Approximately 60 species are presently recognised, with inflorescences and foliage ranging from purple and red to gold. 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 similar in appearance and uses to the Amaranths They are sometimes called cockscombs

Although several species are often considered weeds, people around the world value amaranths as leaf vegetables, cereals and ornamentals. WEED (1390 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Spanish format Leaf vegetables, also called potherbs, greens, or leafy greens, are plant leaves eaten as a Vegetable, sometimes accompanied Ornamental plants are typically grown in the flower Garden or as House plants Most commonly they are grown for the display of their Flowers Other common

The word comes from the Greek amarantos (Αμάρανθος or Αμάραντος) the "one that does not wither," or the never-fading (flower). Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly

Contents 1 Systematics 2 Uses 2.1 Grain amaranth 2.2 Vegetables 2.3 Dyes 2.4 Ornamentals 3 Nutritional value 4 Amaranth as a weed 5 Myth, legend and poetry 6 See also 7 Images 8 Notes 9 Sources 10 External links 10.1 Images 10.2 Information

Systematics

Amaranthus shows a wide variety of morphological diversity among and even within certain species. Although the family (Amaranthaceae) is distinctive, the genus has few distinguishing characters among the 70 species included. The Flowering plant family Amaranthaceae, the Amaranth family contains about 160 genera and 2400 species A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic ^[1] This complicates taxonomy and Amaranthus has generally been considered among systematists as a “difficult” genus. Taxonomy is the practice and science of classification The word comes from the Greek, taxis (meaning 'order' 'arrangement' and, nomos ^[2]

Formerly, Sauer (1955) classified the genus into 2 sub-genera, differentiating only between monoecious and dioecious species: Acnida (L. ) Aellen ex K. R. Robertson and Amaranthus. ^[2] Although this classification was widely accepted, further infrageneric classification was (and still is) needed to differentiate this widely diverse group.

Currently, Amaranthus includes 3 recognized sub-genera and 70 species, although species numbers are questionable due to hybridization and species concepts. ^[3] Infrageneric classification focuses on inflorescence, flower characters and whether a species is monoecious/dioecious, as in the Sauer (1955) suggested classification. ^[1] A modified infrageneric classification of Amaranthus was published by Mosyakin & Robertson (1996) and includes 3 subgenera: Acnida, Amaranthus and Albersia. The taxonomy is further differentiated by sections within each of the sub-genera. ^[4]

In some cultures it was known as a mythical flower that never fades.

Uses

Grain amaranth

Several species are raised for amaranth grain in Asia and the Americas. Amaranth has been cultivated as a grain for 8000 years. The yield of grain amaranth is comparable to Rice or Maize. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America Ancient amaranth grains still used to this day include the 3 species, Amaranthus caudatus, Amaranthus cruentus, and Amaranthus hypochondriacus. Amaranthus caudatus is a species of annual Flowering plant. It goes by Common names such as love-lies-bleeding pendant amaranth tassel flower velvet Amaranthus cruentus is a common Flowering plant species that yields the nutritious staple Amaranth grain. Amaranthus hypochondriacus is an Ornamental plant commonly known as the Prince-of-Wales-feather or Prince's feather ^[5] Although amaranth was (and still is) cultivated on a small-scale in parts of Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, India, and Nepal, there is potential for further cultivation in the U. S and tropical countries and is often referred to as "the crop of the future. "^[6] It has been proposed as an inexpensive native crop that could be cultivated by indigenous people in rural areas for several reasons: 1) easily harvested, 2) produces a lot of fruits (and thus seeds) which are used as grain, 3) highly tolerant of arid environments which are typical of most subtropical and some tropical regions, and 4) large amounts of protein and essential amino acids, such as lysine. Lysine (abbreviated as Lys or K) is an α- Amino acid with the Chemical formula HO2CCH(NH2(CH24NH2 ^[7] Due to its weedy life history, amaranth grains grow very rapidly and their large seedheads can weigh up to 1 kilogram and contain a half-million seeds. ^[8] Amaranthus species are reported to have a 30% higher protein value than other cereals, such as rice, wheat flour, oats and rye. ^[9]

Amaranth grain is a crop of moderate importance in the Himalaya. It was one of the staple foodstuffs of the Incas, and it is known as kiwicha in the Andes today. The Andes form the world's longest exposed Mountain range. They lie as a continuous chain of highland along the western coast of South America. It was also used by the ancient Aztecs, who called it huautli, and other Native America peoples in Mexico to prepare ritual drinks and foods. Aztec is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. To this day, amaranth grains are toasted much like popcorn and mixed with honey or molasses to make a treat called alegría (literally "joy" in Spanish). Popcorn or popping corn is a type of corn which explodes from the kernel and puffs up when heated Honey is a sweet and Viscous fluid produced by Honey bees (and some other species and derived from the nectar of Flowers According to the Molasses or Treacle is a thick Syrup by-product from the processing of the Sugarcane or Sugar beet into Sugar.

Amaranth was used in several Aztec ceremonies, where images of their gods (notably Huitzilopochtli) were made with amaranth mixed with honey. In Aztec mythology, Huitzilopochtli, also spelled Uitzilopochtli (Huitzilopōchtli wi The images were cut to be eaten by the people. This looked like the Christian communion to the Roman Catholic priests, so the cultivation of the grain was forbidden for centuries. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those

Because of its importance as a symbol of indigenous culture, and because it is very palatable, easy to cook, and its protein particularly well suited to human nutritional needs, interest in grain amaranth (especially A. cruentus and A. hypochondriacus) was revived in the 1970s. It was recovered in Mexico from wild varieties and is now commercially cultivated. It is a popular snack sold in Mexico City and other parts of Mexico, sometimes mixed with chocolate or puffed rice, and its use has spread to Europe and other parts of North America. Mexico City (in Spanish: Ciudad de México, México DF, México or simply Méjico) is the Capital city of Mexico Chocolate ( pronounced or /-ˈələt/ comprises a number of raw and processed foods that are produced from the seed of the tropical Cacao tree Puffed grain includes ancient puffed grains like Popcorn as well as Puffed rice. Amaranth and quinoa are called pseudograins because of their flavor and cooking similarities to grains. For the town with a similar name see Quinua Peru. "Quinoa" is also a title of a 1992 music album by Tangerine Dream. These are dicot plant seeds, and both contain exceptionally complete protein for plant sources. See also Protein in nutrition A complete protein (or whole protein) is a Protein that contains all of the Essential amino acids for Besides protein, amaranth grain provides a good source of dietary fiber and dietary minerals such as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and especially manganese. Proteins are large Organic compounds made of Amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by Peptide bonds between the Carboxyl Amaranth has been cultivated as a grain for 8000 years. The yield of grain amaranth is comparable to Rice or Maize. Dietary fibers are the indigestible portion of plant foods that move food through the Digestive system, absorbing water and easing Defecation. Dietary minerals are the Chemical elements required by living Organisms other than the four elements Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Magnesium (mægˈniːziəm is a Chemical element with the symbol Mg, Atomic number 12 Atomic weight 24 Phosphorus, (ˈfɒsfərəs is the Chemical element that has the symbol P and Atomic number 15 Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Manganese (ˈmæŋgəniːz is a Chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn.

Vegetables

Amaranth species are cultivated and consumed as a leaf vegetable in many parts of the world. There are 4 species of Amaranthus documented as cultivated vegetables in eastern Asia: Amaranthus cruentus, Amaranthus blitum, Amaranthus dubius, and Amaranthus tricolor. Amaranthus cruentus is a common Flowering plant species that yields the nutritious staple Amaranth grain. ^[10]

In Indonesia and Malaysia, leaf amaranth is called bayam, while the Tagalogs in the Philippines call the plant kulitis. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The Tagalog people ( Tgl: Tagalog) is the second largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP In Andhra Pradesh, India, this leaf is added in preparation of a popular dal called thotakura pappu. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Dal (also spelled dahl, dhal or daal) ( Devanagari दाल Telugu పప్పు Bangla দ্দাল is a preparation In China, the leaves and stems are used as a stir-fry vegetable and called yin choi (苋菜; pinyin: xiàncài; and variations on this transliteration in various dialects). China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National In Congo it is known as lenga lenga or biteku teku. ^[11]

In the Caribbean the leaves are called callaloo and are sometimes used in a soup called pepperpot soup. The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting Callaloo (sometimes calaloo) is a Caribbean dish that is most popular in Guyana, Barbados, Grenada, Haiti,

In East Africa Amaranth leaf is known in Swahili as mchicha ("a vegetable for all"). Swahili (called Kiswahili in the language itself is the First language of the Swahili people (Waswahili who inhabit several large stretches It is sometimes recommended by some doctors for people having low red blood cell count. In West Africa, Nigeria, it is known in Yoruba as efo tete or arowo jeja ("we have money left over for fish"). It is a common vegetable, and it goes with all Nigerian carbohydrate dishes.

Dyes

The flowers of the 'Hopi Red Dye' amaranth were used by the Hopi Amerindians as the source of a deep red dye. The Hopi are Native American people who primarily live on the 12635 km² (2531 Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States There is also a synthetic dye that has been named "amaranth" for its similarity in color to the natural amaranth pigments known as betalains. For the drug referred to as "pigment" see Black tar heroin. Betalains are a class of Red and Yellow Indole -derived pigments found in Plants of the Caryophyllales. This synthetic dye is also known as Red No. 2 in North America and E123 in the European Union. Amaranth, FD&C Red No 2, E123, CI Food Red 9, Acid Red 27, Azorubin S, or C The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in ^[12]

Ornamentals

The genus also contains several well-known ornamental plants, such as A. caudatus (love-lies-bleeding), a native of India and a vigorous, hardy annual with dark purplish flowers crowded in handsome drooping spikes. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country A flower, also known as a bloom or Blossom, is the reproductive structure found in Flowering plants (plants of the division Magnoliophyta, also 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 and various case-bearers of the genus Coleophora: C. Lepidoptera is an order of Insect that includes Moths and butterflies. A butterfly is an Insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a A moth is an Insect closely related to the Butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. The Nutmeg ( Discestra trifolii) also known as the Clover Cutworm, is a Moth of the family Noctuidae. Coleophora is a very large genus of Moths of the family Coleophoridae with around 1000 described species amaranthella, C. enchorda (feeds exclusively on Amaranthus), C. immortalis (feeds exclusively on Amaranthus), C. lineapulvella and C. versurella (recorded on A. spinosus).

Nutritional value

Amaranth greens, also called Chinese spinach, hinn choy or yin tsoi (simplified Chinese: 苋菜; traditional Chinese: 莧菜; pinyin: xiàncài), callaloo, thotakura (telugu) , tampala, or quelite, are a common leaf vegetable throughout the tropics and in many warm temperate regions. Pinyin, more formally Hanyu pinyin, is the most common Standard Mandarin Romanization system in use It is very popular in Andhra Pradesh. They are a very good source of vitamins including vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, riboflavin, and folate, and dietary minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, and manganese. A vitamin is an Organic compound required as a Nutrient in tiny amounts by an Organism. Vitamin A refers to a family of similarly shaped molecules the Retinoids. Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble Vitamin. Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP is the active form and is a cofactor in many reactions of Amino acid metabolism including Vitamin C or L-ascorbate is an Essential nutrient for a large number of higher primate species a small number of other Mammalian Riboflavin ( E101) also known as vitamin B2, is an easily absorbed Micronutrient with a key role in maintaining Health Folic acid (also known as Vitamin M and Folacin) and Folate (the Anionic form are forms of the water-soluble Vitamin B9 Calcium (ˈkælsiəm is the Chemical element with the symbol Ca and Atomic number 20 Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Magnesium (mægˈniːziəm is a Chemical element with the symbol Mg, Atomic number 12 Atomic weight 24 Phosphorus, (ˈfɒsfərəs is the Chemical element that has the symbol P and Atomic number 15 Potassium (pəˈtæsiəm is a Chemical element. It has the symbol K (kalium from qalīy Atomic number 19 and Atomic mass 39 Zinc (ˈzɪŋk from Zink is a Metallic Chemical element with the symbol Zn and Atomic number 30 Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Manganese (ˈmæŋgəniːz is a Chemical element, designated by the symbol Mn. Because of its valuable nutrition, some farmers grow amaranth today. However their moderately high content of oxalic acid inhibits the absorption of calcium and zinc, and also means that they should be avoided or eaten in moderation by people with kidney disorders, gout, or rheumatoid arthritis. Oxalic acid is the Chemical compound with the formula H2C2O4 This Dicarboxylic acid is better described with the The kidneys are complicated organs that have numerous biological roles Gout (also called metabolic arthritis) is a disease created by a buildup of Uric acid. Rheumatoid arthritis ( RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disorder that causes the Immune system to attack the Joints, where Reheating cooked amaranth greens is often discouraged, particularly for consumption by small children, as the nitrates in the leaves can be converted to nitrites, similarly to spinach. In Inorganic chemistry, a nitrate is a salt of Nitric acid with an Ion composed of one Nitrogen and three Oxygen atoms The nitrite Ion is NO2− The anion is bent being Isoelectronic with O3. Spinach ( Spinacia oleracea) is a Flowering plant in the family of Amaranthaceae.

Amaranth seeds, like buckwheat and quinoa, contain protein that is unusually complete for plant sources. Buckwheat refers to plants in two genera of the Dicot family Polygonaceae: the Eurasian genus Fagopyrum, and the North American genus For the town with a similar name see Quinua Peru. "Quinoa" is also a title of a 1992 music album by Tangerine Dream. ^[13] Most fruits and vegetables do not contain a complete set of amino acids, and thus different sources of protein must be used.

Several studies have shown that like oats, amaranth seed or oil may be of benefit for those with hypertension and cardiovascular disease; regular consumption reduces blood pressure and cholesterol levels, while improving antioxidant status and some immune parameters. ^[14][15][16] While the active ingredient in oats appears to be water soluble fiber, amaranth appears to lower cholesterol via its content of plant stanols and squalene. Squalene is a natural Organic compound originally obtained for commercial purposes primarily from Shark liver oil, though there are botanic sources as well including

Amaranth as a weed

Not all amaranth plants are cultivated. Most of the species from Amaranthus are summer annual weeds and are commonly referred to as pigweeds. ^[17] These species have an extended period of germination, rapid growth, and high rates of seed production^[17] and have been causing farmers problems since the mid-1990’s. This is partially due to the reduction in tillage, reduction in herbicidal use and the evolution of herbicidal resistance in several species where herbicides have been applied more often. ^[18] 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. ^[19]

A new strain of the Palmer amaranth has appeared which is Glyphosate-resistant and as a result cannot be killed by the widely used Roundup herbicide. Glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl glycine is a non-selective Systemic Herbicide, absorbed through the leaves injected into the bole or applied to the stump of Roundup is the brand name of a systemic broad-spectrum Herbicide produced by the U Also, this hardy plant can survive in tough conditions. This could be of particular concern to cotton farmers using Roundup Ready cotton. Cotton is a soft staple Fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant ( Gossypium sp Roundup is the brand name of a systemic broad-spectrum Herbicide produced by the U [3] The species, Amaranthus palmeri (Palmer amaranth), causes the greatest reduction in soybean yields and has the potential to reduce yields by 17-68% in field experiments. ^[17] Palmer amaranth is among the “top five most troublesome weeds” in the southeast and has already evolved resistances to dinitroanilines and acetolactate synthase inhibitors. ^[20] This makes the proper identification of Amaranthus species at the seedling stage essential for agriculturalists. Proper herbicide treatment needs to be applied before the species successfully colonizes in the crop field and causes significant yield reductions.

Anecdotal reports indicate that some people are allergic to amaranth.

Myth, legend and poetry

Amaranth, or Amarant (from the Greek amarantos, unwithering), a name chiefly used in poetry, and applied to Amaranth and other plants which, from not soon fading, typified immortality. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly

Aesop's Fables (6th century BC) compares the Rose to the Amaranth to illustrate the difference in fleeting and everlasting beauty. Aesop's Fables or Aesopica refers to a collection of Fables credited to Aesop (620&ndash 560 BC) a slave and story-teller who lived

A Rose and an Amaranth blossomed side by side in a garden,

and the Amaranth said to her neighbour,

"How I envy you your beauty and your sweet scent!

No wonder you are such a universal favourite. "

But the Rose replied with a shade of sadness in her voice,

"Ah, my dear friend, I bloom but for a time:

my petals soon wither and fall, and then I die.

But your flowers never fade, even if they are cut;

for they are everlasting. "

Thus, in John Milton's Paradise Lost (1667), iii. John Milton ( 9 December, 1608 – 8 November, 1674) was an English Poet, Prose Polemicist and Paradise Lost is an Epic poem in Blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton. 353:

"Immortal amarant, a flower which once

In paradise, fast by the tree of life,

Began to bloom; but soon for man's offence

To heaven removed, where first it grew, there grows,

And flowers aloft, shading the fount of life,

And where the river of bliss through midst of heaven

Rolls o'er elysian flowers her amber stream:

With these that never fade the spirits elect

Bind their resplendent locks. "

Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in Work without Hope (1825), also references the herb, likely referencing Milton's earlier work. Samuel Taylor Coleridge ( 21 October 1772 &ndash 25 July 1834) was an English Poet, Critic and philosopher (ll 7-10 excerpted):

Yet well I ken the banks where Amaranths blow,

Have traced the fount whence streams of nectar flow.

Bloom, O ye Amaranths! bloom for whom ye may,

For me ye bloom not! Glide, rich streams, away!

The original spelling is amarant; the more common spelling amaranth seems to have come from a folk etymology assuming that the final syllable derives from the Greek word anthos ("flower"), common in botanical names. Folk etymology is a term used in two distinct ways A commonly held misunderstanding of the origin of a particular word a False etymology.

In ancient Greece the amaranth (also called chrysanthemum and helichrysum) was sacred to Ephesian Artemis. Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Chrysanthemums, often called 'mums' are a genus ( Chrysanthemum) of about 30 species of perennial Flowering plants in the family Asteraceae The genus Helichrysum (pronounced hel-i-CRY-sum or hee-li-CRY-sum consists of an estimated 600 species in the sunflower family ( Asteraceae) In Greek mythology, Artemis language|Greek] ( Nominative), ( Genitive))] was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister It was supposed to have special healing properties, and as a symbol of immortality was used to decorate images of the gods and tombs. In legend, Amarynthus (a form of Amarantus) was a hunter of Artemis and king of Euboea; in a village of Amarynthus, of which he was the eponymous hero, there was a famous temple of Artemis Amarynthia or Amarysia (Strabo x. For the mythological figure see Euboea (mythology Euboea ( Modern Greek, Εύβοια - Évia &mdash 448; Pausan. i. 31, p. 5). It was also widely used by the Chinese for its healing chemicals, curing illnesses such as infections, rashes, and migraines. The "Amarantos" is the name of a several-century-old popular Greek folk song:

Look at the amaranth:

on tall mountains it grows,

on the very stones and rocks

and places inaccessible.

Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish featured a song titled Amaranth on their 2007 album Dark Passion Play. Nightwish is a symphonic Power metal band formed in 1996 in the town of Kitee, Finland. " Amaranth " is the second single of Finnish symphonic power metal quintet Nightwish 's Dark Passion Play album

The Swedish doom/gothic band Draconian have released a song called The Amaranth, where the plant is used as a symbol for the dark side of Venus. Draconian is a Swedish Gothic doom band formed in 1994 that creates songs of atmospheric melodic and emotive characteristics

Orson Scott Card's novel Speaker for the Dead features a plant called amaranth native to the planet Lusitania, where the majority of the story takes place. Speaker for the Dead (1986 is a Science fiction novel by Orson Scott Card and a sequel to the novel Ender's Game.

In Vampire: The Masquerade lore, an amaranth placed on the bed of a vampire was the warning of Diablerie soon to come. Created by Mark Rein·Hagen, Vampire The Masquerade was the first of White Wolf Game Studio's World of Darkness live-action In the context of White Wolf Game Studio 's vampire Books and Role-playing games from the World of Darkness, diablerie takes place when The act of Diablerie was also referred to as "Amaranth".

Enya is referring to the everlasting amaranth in her song Amarantine. Enya (born Eithne Patricia Ní Bhraonáin on May 17 1961, Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal, Ireland, sometimes presented in

See also

• Amaranth (color)
• Amaranth (song)

Images

Loves-lies-bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus)	Green Amaranth (A. Amaranth is a Reddish rose Color that is a representation of the color of the Flower of the Amaranth plant " Amaranth " is the second single of Finnish symphonic power metal quintet Nightwish 's Dark Passion Play album hybridus)	Seabeach amaranth (A. pumilus), an amaranth on the Federal Threatened species List	Red-root Amaranth (A. Threatened species are any species (including Animals Plants fungi, etc retroflexus) - from Thomé, Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz 1885
Spiny Amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus)	Green Amaranth (Amaranthus viridis)	Popping Amaranth (Amaranthus sp. )

Notes

Sources

• Lenz, Botanik der alt. Greich. und Rom. Botany of old. (1859)
• J. Murr, Die Pflanzenwelt in der griech. Mythol. Plants in Greek Mythology. (1890)

External links

Images

• Amaranthus hybridus
• Amaranthus spinosus
• Amaranthus viridis

Information

• Multilingual taxonomic information from the University of Melbourne
• Flora online : Flora of North America
• Amaranthus Info
• Alternate Field Crops Manual
• Dye Studies
• Organization Promoting Amaranth in Mexico
• Evaluation of Six Amaranth Varieties

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