Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceae Week: Achyranthes bidentata with pink flowers?

[Gurcharan Singh]

This interesting Achyranthes was photographed growing commonly along roadsides from Dakpathar to all the way up to Chakrata, having the habit, leaves and inflorescence of A. bidentata but with pink flowers. This plant needs further critical study in light of the fact that a pink flowered form of related species A. aspera has been described as distinct species A. coynei endemic Ghats. Here are points of distinction of concerned taxa:

A. coynei: Perennial shrubby in habit, 2-4 m tall, pubescent when young, glabrescent when old; leaves broadly elliptic, 15-23 cm long, 7-10 cm broad, subglabrous above, pubescent beneath, especially along veins; petiole 1-3 cm long; flowers rosy purple, up to 1.5 cm across when open,  dense on 30-60 cm long spike; bract 5 mm long, bracteoles with papery wing, tepals up to 8 mm long, pseudostaminodes fimbriate; utricle 5 mm long.

A. aspera: Perennial herb up to 1 m tall, 4-angled, slightly inflated at nodes, pubescenct., branches opposite; leaves opposite, broadly obovate to elliptic-oblong, hairy on both surfaces, apex obtuse, slightly mucronate; petiole up to 1.5 cm long; flowers green to tinged red, in terminal spikes, initially condensed finally up to 40 cm long; rachis densely hairy, angular; bracts 3-4 mm long, lanceolate, bracteoles spiny, 3-5 mm long, rigid with two basal membranous wings; perianth 4-5 mm long; pseudostaminodes crenate at apex; dorsal scale fimbriate or ciliate ; utricle ovoid, 3 mm long. 

A. aspera var. porphyristachya: Perennial herb 1.4-2 m tall, densely branched; leaves opposite, broadly elliptic, 7-25 cm long, acuminate; spike slender

A. bidentata: Perennial herb up to 1 m tall, green or tinged purple, some what 4-angled, appressed pubescent or nearly glabrous, branches opposite; leaves opposite, elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, up to 12 cm long, thinly hairy especially below, apex caudate; flowers green or pinkish, up to 5 mm long on terminal usually up to 10 cm long spike; bracts broadly ovate, 2-3 mm long, bracteoles 3 mm long, spiny, base 2-parted, apex curved; perianth 4-5 mm long, apex acute erose, without fimbriate dorsal scale; utricle 2-2.5 mm long.

   

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Dr. Gurcharan Singh

Retired  Associate Professor
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297  Mob: 9810359089

http://www.gurcharanfamily.com/ 
http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/

[Nidhan Singh]

Thanks Sir for this upload..surely this genus is interesting...I will post mine pics from different places..I am not sure about their identification, definitely it is not as simple as we consider this to be..leaves are distinct in A. aspera..in all other forms leaves are almost similar..more closer look is perhaps mandatory for reaching to conclusion..

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Regards,

Dr. Nidhan Singh

Assistant Professor
Department of Botany
I.B. (PG) College
Panipat-132103 Haryana
Ph.: 09416371227

[Ushadi Micromini]

nice key to achranthes ...

in India?

usha di

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Usha di
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[Satish Phadke]

Short spike indicating A.bidentata.(Like)
Read the interesting discussion.

Dr Satish Phadke

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