AMARANTHACEAE

Annual or perennial herbs or under shrubs. Leaves alternate or opposite, exstipulate, simple, entire or nearly so, sometimes fleshy. Flowers small or minute, with a bract and 2 bracteoles, bracts and bracteoles scarious, actinomorphic, bisexual, rarely unisexual or polygamous, pentamerous, hypogynous, monochlamydeous in dense clusters or in spicate, racemose or paniculate inflorescence. Perianth 3-5, free or united at base, imbricate, nearly equal, usually erect, herbaceous or dry, persistent, Stamens 5, rarely less, opposite the tepals/perianth- segments, connate at or near the base forming a cup or tube, often with interposed staminodes, anthers bithecous. Carpels 2-3, syncarpous, ovary superior, usually ovoid, unilocular usually with solitary basal ovule, sometimes few; style simple; stigmas usually 2 or 3. Fruit dry 1-seeded, nutlet, utricle, usually enclosed in persistent perianth, opening irregularly or by a lid, sometimes fruits indehiscent berry-like. Seeds solitary or few, usually black, shining and reniform

About 65-70 genera and 900-1000 species