Edible: Leaves, Seeds, Vegetable, Flowers, Leaves - tea
An annual plant 60 -100 cm high. It can be erect or lie over. The stems can be nearly round or they can be angular. The plant branches from the base upwards. Leaves are fairly smooth or hairless but can be tinged purple. The leaf stalk can be 0.5-10 cm long. The leaf blade is oval or sword shaped and 2-7 cm long by 0.6-3 cm wide. There can be a short tip at the top end and gradually tapering to the base. Flower clusters occur at the sides and these can be single or arranged in compound spikes. The flower clusters at the top can be 3-10 cm long. The top flowers often droop over. Parts of the flowers in the clusters of the leaves form spines. These are very sharp. They can be 0.5-2 cm long. The upper flowers are male and the lower flowers are female. The seed are 1-1.2 mm across and flattened.
A tropical plant. It occurs world wide from the tropics to the warm temperate zone. It can grow in sun or light shade. In Nepal it grows to 1500 m altitude. In Tanzania it grows from sea level to 1,800 m above sea level and in areas with 800-1,300 mm rainfall. It grows well in moist, damp soil. It grows in wetlands. It can grow in arid places. In Argentina it grows up to 1,000 m above sea level. Tasmania Herbarium. In Yunnan. It grows in Sichuan.
Common Names: Prickly amaranth, Spiny Pigweed, Accho aadar arxa, Alehou, Amugnaeder, Anampatsa, Anampatsy, Anatsilo, Araikeerai, Ataco espinudo, Ayntoto, Bandani, Ban lunde, Batto, Bawngeh tehlian, Bayam duri, Bayambang, Bayem berdooree, Boro-boro, Bredo, Bukut, Busa, Bwache, Bwasi, Caruru-chifre-de-espinho, Chalwairay, Chauli, Chalvery, Chengkruk, Chlwae, Cholai, Chulai, Ci xian, Dasy, Den gai, Ghadah, Djambo, Doodo ow' maggwa, Doodo y'amahwa, Epinard, Erra-mulu-goranta, Felipatika, Gai hen lu, Ganhar, Ghanp chalwae, Ghinyar, Gu, Gulee, Harum, Hatikhutura, Hin-nu-nwe-subauk, Huisquilete, Imbuya batfwa, Isukjaroi, Janum arak, Junum ara, Kale-math, Kalunai, Kandelatte, Kande lundo, Kanta bhaji, Kanta-chulai, Kanta khudra, Kanta khuria, Kantalomatnu, Kanta-maris, Kanta-nati, Kanta notay shak, Kanta-notiya, Kanta-nutia, Katanotey, Kantanu-dant, Kanteli, Kantelichulai, Kantemoth, Kata khutura, Kataili chaulai, Kalga, Katakailpha, Kate-math, Kateli chauli, Kateri math, Katili chaurai, Katili chourai, Katu tampala, Kau chua, Khutra, Khutuka, Kilitis, Kolitis, Konjel, Kraroen, Kuantong, Kudumfisa, Kuduna, Kuil rakha, Kulitis, Kuttuila, Lal sag, Len-hling, Lifweni, Losigiria, Lude, Lunde, Lunde-kaada, Maka kraroen, Mandeleni, Marshi, Matbhaji, Mate, Math bhaji, Mattu-mullen-keera, Mboya, Mbuya, Mchicha pori, Mowa danga, Mullancheera, Mullu dagu, Mullu harive soppu, Mullukkeerai, Mullu kura, Mullu-thorta-kora, Mulluk-kirai, Mulugoranta, Mundla-tota-kura, Nalla-doggali, Needle burr, Nkona mutwe, Obuga-okuta, Pa hong nan, Pakat, Phak hom nam, Prickly calalue, Ptebanla, Puchu panya, Ranjaka, Rau dien gai, Sa bie, Sagourou, Sarmay, Serepelele, Sogbe, Spiny amaranth, Surkh gunahr, Tanguliya, Tete ounon, Tete ve, Thorny amaranth, Tilitis, Tshinyameila, Uray, Vai me hna, Wark, Warko, Wo zu wo niu, Yantoto, Yarin
Synonyms:
Amaranthus spinosus var. several