AMARANTHACEAE: CHARACTERISTICS, MORPHOLOGY, USES - BIOLOGY - 2025

The Amaranthaceae is a family of angiosperm plants of the order Caryophyllales represented by perennial herbaceous forms, vines or lianas, small shrubs and subshrubs, among others. They are distinguished between many aspects by presenting simple, alternate and rarely opposite leaves.

They present a wide worldwide distribution, but nevertheless the tropical and subtropical regions are the best represented in terms of diversity of genera, species and forms.

Ornamental plant of the genus Celosia (Amaranthaceae). Taken and edited from Filo gèn '.

The Amaranthaceae are a very diverse group of plants with representatives ranging from those of ethnobotanical importance (relationships between man and plants, for example medicinal plants) to highly invasive alien species.

characteristics

They are plants that are characterized by presenting annual herbaceous forms (herbs), shrubs, subshrubs, very rarely trees, vines or lianas, with always whole leaves and without laminar structures on the sides of the foliar base.

Its flowers are generally not very showy. There are perfect and imperfect, hermaphrodites, sometimes unisexual, with a membranous perianth; they can be solitary or grouped in diverse inflorescences.

Distribution and habitat

As previously mentioned, the Amaranthaceae are plants of cosmopolitan distribution (subcosmopolitan according to some authors), with a greater presence and greater number of taxa in tropical and subtropical zones.

They live in altitude ranges that go from sea level to 2800 meters above sea level (approximately). Very few species are found above this altitude and most of them develop preferably near 1000 meters above sea level.

Amaranthaceae can thrive in places with cold to desert (arid) climates, although they prefer hot and dry environments. They can be found living in aquatic and semi-aquatic environments, saline environments, and even in highly impacted, eroded, or disturbed areas.

Dispersion

The dispersal mechanisms presented by this family of plants are as varied as the group is diverse. Some species have fruits and / or seeds with structures in the form of spines, which allow them to be transported by other organisms such as mammals, including man.

The fruits of certain aquatic species of the genus Alternanthera have cellular structures with air-filled spaces, very similar to cork cells, which allow them to float and disperse very efficiently.

A peculiar adaptation of some genera that inhabit xerophytic environments is the presence of explosive seeds, that is, seeds wrapped in pods, which, when receiving moisture from the rain, swell and then explode, dispersing the seeds far from the plant.

Morphology

Amaranthacea have simple, opposite and sessile leaves. Its flowers have radial symmetry (polysymmetric); They are small; they generally have five tepals (although they can be 1-6), sometimes absent in staminate type flowers; green, white, red and ocher colors; usually dry and imbricated.

The inflorescences can be terminal or axillary, colorful, sometimes yellow or showy red; small and numerous, arranged or grouped in compact cymes, spikes, panicles and glomeruli or heads. They have a bract and two lateral bracts (sometimes absent).

Its fruits are pixidia or achenes, that is, dry and with the pericarp independent of the seed. They can have one or more seeds with a lenticular or ellipse shape and a smooth texture or also in the form of bars (reticulated). The embryo is annular.

Applications

A significant number of Amaranthacea species are currently known to have multiple uses.

Food

One part of its uses consists of taking advantage of the leaves as vegetables and the seeds for the production of flour and cereals. From others such as beets, sugar is industrially extracted and used to produce syrups.

Other species are used as food for cattle and pigs, or for the production of beverages.

Currently there are projects funded by FAO to evaluate various species of this family of plants (such as quinoa for example) seeking to develop the potential of some of them in different types of food industries.

Non-food industrial

Some species have a high industrial potential and products such as detergents, cosmetics or pesticides, among others, can be created from these.

Medicinal

Scientific studies have revealed the potential of certain species of Amaranthaceae to obtain various compounds, for example antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. On the other hand, indigenous and rural communities around the world use these plants as antibiotics, analgesics, healing, anti-tumor and for stomach problems.

Ornamental

Many of these plants have very showy shapes and colors, which has been worth them for their ornamental use, such as the cockscomb or the immortelle.

Representative subfamilies and species

-Subfamilies

The Amaranthaceae family was described by the French physician and botanist Antoine-Laurent de Jussieu, in the year 1789. The family, like many taxonomic groups, has been under constant revision and taxonomic changes.

For a long time the family was divided into two subfamilies (Amaranthoideae and Gomphrenoideae), but with the increasing development of technology and molecular sciences, phylogenetic studies revealed the presence of two other subfamilies, called Chenopodioideae and Salsoloideae.

It should be noted that different authors and web portals (of taxonomic renown) do not recognize any of these subfamilies and others come to recognize up to 10 taxa, leaving this classification open to future changes.

-Representative species

Chenopodium quinoa

Known as quinoa, it is a species cultivated in South America (in the Andean region) and in the United States. It has a very high potential both in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and beverage industries.

Spinacia oleracea

It is commonly called spinach. It is a very well known plant. It was first cultivated in ancient Persia (the Middle East), and today its leaves are consumed raw, boiled or fried in a wide variety of dishes around the world.

Beta vulgaris

Commonly known as beetroot or grass. It is a plant with many cultivable varieties and with different uses. The best known variety is the garden beet. Its root is consumed parboiled or boiled, it is used in the sugar industry and is sometimes used as food for livestock.

Beetroot, Beta vulgaris var cicla (Amaranthaceae). Taken and edited from: Neelix at English Wikipedia.

Amaranthus cruentus

The red amaranth or joy is a species that has ornamental and food use; as food it is used as a cereal, its seeds and leaves are used. It is native to the American continent and is cultivated in much of Africa and India.

Sharp lattice

It is a perennial herbaceous ornamental plant with colorful flowers that bloom between fall and winter. It is found in the southern United States (Texas and Florida), Central and South America.

References

1. Amaranthaceae family. Recovered from unavarra.es.
2. Amaranthaceae. Recovered from biologia.edu.ar.
3. Amaranthaceae Juss. Recovered from thecompositaehut.com.
4. Family: Amaranthaceae. Red book of endemic plants of Ecuador. Recovered from bioweb.bio
5. WS Judd, CS Campbell, EA Kellogg, PF Stevens & MJ Donoghue. (2007). Plant Systematics: A phylogenetic approach. Third edition., Sunderland, Massachusetts: Sinauer Associates.
6. W. Carmona & G. Orsini (2010). Synopsis of the subgenus Amaranthus (Amaranthus, Amaranthaceae) in Venezuela. Acta Botánica Venezuelica.
7. CA Agudelo, PF Rosselli (1991). Synopsis of Amaranthaceae from Colombia. Caldasia.