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Botanical Family · Caryophyllales

Amaranthaceae

Amaranth family

35 speciesOrder Caryophyllales8+ well-known plants

The amaranth family (now including the goosefoots/Chenopodiaceae), encompassing important grain crops (amaranth, quinoa), spinach (Spinacia), and beetroot (Beta). Many are adapted to arid, saline, or disturbed habitats. Flowers are small and inconspicuous, often with papery bracts.

Browse all 35 species ↓
Representative AMARANTHACEAE specimen
Representative specimen · Amaranthaceae
Key pattern

Small, petal-less flowers in dense clusters, each cupped by three often colourful, papery bracts.

Common, fast-growing weeds of disturbed soil — most are edible as a cooked leaf vegetable despite the weedy reputation.

Identify the species

Which Amaranthaceae species is this?

Answer what you can see and narrow it down to a single Amaranthaceae species.

Click a node to trace its path · pinch or scroll to zoom · drag to pan
HabitWhat is the plant's growth habit?
Erect herb
Erect herb, tall
Erect/scrambling herb
Herb
Prostrate/creeping herb
Leaf PatternIs there a distinctive color pattern on the leaves?
Colorful variegated (red/yellow/green mix)
Plain green
Plain green, purplish tint
Plain green, reddish tint
Silvery/woolly
Leaf ShapeWhat shape are the leaves?
Arrow-shaped
Ovate
Simple oval/lance-shaped
Inflorescence TypeHow are the flowers arranged on the plant?
Head (dense tight cluster)
Not sure / other
Spike (stalkless flowers along a stem)
Leaf ShapeWhat shape are the leaves?
Elliptic
Narrow linear
Obovate
Ovate
Simple oval/lance-shaped
Leaf PatternIs there a distinctive color pattern on the leaves?
Plain green
Silvery/woolly
Leaf PatternIs there a distinctive color pattern on the leaves?
Colorful variegated (red/yellow/green mix)
Plain green
Plain green, reddish tint
Inflorescence TypeHow are the flowers arranged on the plant?
Head
Raceme
Leaf PatternIs there a distinctive color pattern on the leaves?
Colorful variegated (red/yellow/green mix)
Plain green
Silvery/woolly
Leaf ShapeWhat shape are the leaves?
Simple oval/lance-shaped
Simple oval/lance-shaped, small
Inflorescence TypeHow are the flowers arranged on the plant?
Spike
Spike (stalkless flowers along a stem)

How to recognise the Amaranthaceae family

  • 01

    Small flowers with scarious (papery) tepals

  • 02

    Often adapted to saline or dry conditions

  • 03

    Utricle or achene fruit; C4 photosynthesis common

Typical leaf characters

Characters typical of the family — individual species can vary.

Typical flower & fruit

Typical of the family — flowering plants only; species can vary.

Notable members

Devil's Horse Whip, Prickly Chaff Flower, Rough ChaffAchyranthes asperaDevil's HorsewhipAchyranthes aspera var. argenteaOx KneeAchyranthes bidentataPink Chaff FlowerAchyranthes coyneiKapok BushAerva javanicaPolpolaAerva lanataNode Flower AllmaniaAllmania nodiflora var. asperaCalicoplantAlternanthera bettzickiana

All 35 species in AMARANTHACEAE

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