Amaranthus centralis J.Palmer & Mowatt
AMARANTHACEAE
Synonymy
Common Name: Amaranthus
Description: Ascending or erect annual herb to about 60 cm high. The stems are sometimes pinkish and have a sparse covering of simple, sometimes gland-tipped hairs, often glabrescent. The leaves are alternate, petiolate, mostly ovate to elliptic, 6-55 mm long, 3-22 mm wide, with sparse simple hairs or glabrous, and mostly entire. Flowers are sessile and are arranged mostly in axillary clusters. Male and female flowers are borne on the same plant. The flowers have 5 similar glabrous green perianth segments usually 2.5-3.5 mm long, spreading outwards in the distal half and with an obtuse or acute apex. The perianth is subtended by a bract and 2 bracteoles, which are shorter than the perianth segments and could be mistaken for sepals. Male flowers have 3 stamens. The glabrous one-seeded indehiscent fruit are mostly 1.8-3 mm long and 1-1.5 mm wide, black, and the surface has slightly raised straight longitudinal ridges.
Similar Taxa: Amaranthus centralis is similar to A. grandiflorus, the latter differing in its longer perianth segments (usually 4-7 mm long) with the basal section appressed or very close to fruit (cf. curved away from and distinctly separated from the fruit), and the pale longer (4-5.5 mm long) fruits with a network of variously orientated wavy ridges.
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Notes: Also known in the APC as Amaranthus sp. Todd River (G.Chippendale 482) WA Herbarium [Florabase]. Although many records, poorly known possibly due to spread of Buffel Grass.
Distribution
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Specimens
Observations
Cultivated
Introduced Status: Native to NT
Bioregion: Burt Plain, Central Ranges, Channel Country, Finke, MacDonnell Ranges, Pilbara, Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields, Tanami
Habitat: Occurs on fertile alluvial plains and valleys, sandplains, rocky or gravelly hills or rises composed of neutral, acidic or basic rocks, and intermittent watercourses and run-on areas.
Ecological Attributes
Flowering: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jul, Aug, Oct, Nov, Dec
Fruiting: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jul, Aug, Oct, Nov, Dec
Other Attributes
Conservation Status (TPWCA): Least Concern
Restricted Range Taxon: N
NT Parks: Finke Gorge National Park, Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park, Trephina Gorge Nature Park, Watarrka National Park
Flora Description Source: Vascular Plant Checklist for the Southern Bioregions of the Northern Territory - nomenclature, distribution and conservation status
Taxonomic Literature: Southern Region Checklist, 2007
PDF Factsheet
Specimens