Amaranthus acanthochiton

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Ordo: Caryophyllales

Familia: Amaranthaceae s.l.
Cladus: Amaranthaceae s.str.
Subfamilia: Amaranthoideae
Genus: Amaranthus
Species: Amaranthus acanthochiton
Name

Amaranthus acanthochiton, J.D.Sauer, Madroño 13: 44. (1955), nom. nov.

new name because of blocking by Amaranthus wrightii S.Watson (1877)

Synonyms

Replaced synonym
Acanthochiton wrightii Torr., Sitgr. Rep.: 170. (1853)
Type locality (lectotype): United States: Pueblo Zuni.
Lectotype (designated by Sauer 1955: 44.): 1851-09, S.W. Woodhouse #s.n. GH GH00036979. Isolectotype?: NY01043139.

Distribution
Native distribution areas:

Northern America
Southwestern U.S.A.
Arizona, Utah
South-Central U.S.A.
New Mexico, Texas
Mexico
Mexico Northeast

References: Brummitt, R.K. 2001. TDWG – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
References
Primary references

Sauer, J. 1955. Revision of the dioecious Amaranths. Madroño 13(1): 5–46. BHL Reference page. : 44
Torrey, J. 1853. Botany. In: Sitgreaves, L.. Report of an Expedition down to the Zuni and Colorado Rivers. Washington, R. Armstrong: 155–178. BHL Reference page. : 170

Additional references

eFloras 2008. Amaranthus acanthochiton in Flora of North America . Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.

Links

Govaerts, R. et al. 2019. Amaranthus acanthochiton in Kew Science Plants of the World online. The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Aug. 1. Reference page.
Hassler, M. 2019. Amaranthus acanthochiton. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2019. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Aug. 1. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2019. Amaranthus acanthochiton. Published online. Accessed: Aug. 1 2019.
Tropicos.org 2019. Amaranthus acanthochiton. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2019 Aug. 1.
USDA, ARS, Germplasm Resources Information Network. Amaranthus acanthochiton in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service. Accessed: 2019 Aug. 1.

Vernacular names
English: Greenstripe (amaranth)

Amaranthus acanthochiton, the greenstripe, is an annual plant species of the genus Amaranthus in the family Amaranthaceae. It is native to the southwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah) and northern Mexico (Chihuahua), growing at elevations of 1000–2000 m where it is uncommon.

It is a dioecious plant growing to 10–80 cm tall. The leaves are slender, 2–8 cm long and 2–12 mm broad. The flowers are pale green, produced in dense terminal spikes. The seeds are brown, 1–1.3 mm diameter, contained in a 2–2.5 mm achene.

It is critically endangered in Utah, and endangered in Arizona (though no status has been set).

The seeds and young leaves were used by the Hopi Indians as a food source. The seeds were cooked as a form of porridge, while the leaves were used as greens.
References

Flora of North America: Amaranthus acanthochiton