Amaranthus viridis
Common name
green amaranth
Family
Amaranthaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Herbs - Dicotyledons other than Composites
Conservation status
Not applicable
Habitat
Found in gardens, wastelands, pastures and along roadsides (Ermert and Clapp 1998) crops, sand dunes (Webb et al, 1988).
Similar taxa
A. viridis is a vigorous annual that grows up to around 1 m tall. The leaves are mid to light green, deeply veined and alternate. They have a long leaf stalk with a broad base tapering to a pointed tip. The inflorescence, the flowering part of the plant, is a dense spike of small green flowers. Small brown fruits that contain seeds follow flowering. (Ermert and Clapp 1998).
Flower colours
Green
Year naturalised
1867
Origin
pantropical
Etymology
amaranthus: From the Greek a- ‘without’ or ‘lacking’ and maraino ‘to fade’, meaning unfading and referring to the durability of the flowers of some species
viridis: From the Latin viridis ‘green’
Reproduction
Amaranthus reproduces via the many seeds produced after flowering (Eremert and Clapp 1998)