A Comparative Morphological Study on Amaranthus spinosus L., Celosia argentea L. and Gomphrena celosioides Mart (AMARANTHACEAE)

Abstract

A comparative morphological study on Amaranthus spinosus, Celosia argentea and Gomphrena celosioides was evaluated and compared to determine their taxonomic morphological characters that delimit them as members of the family Amaranthaceae. This was done by use of hand lens and visual observations of the plants parts. Results showed similarities in their possession of simple leaves, small flowers, inflorescence as spike, being herbaceous with woody base, having pentamerous perianths and stamens, exstipulate and presence of pinkish pigment in any of the plant parts, while they differed in the possession of spines by Amaranthus spinosus and trichomes by Gomphrena celosioides. Information from this study is valuable for taxonomic characterisation and identification of the plant species in the family Amaranthaceae. Their possession of pinkish pigment in any of the parts shows that they can be a source of vitamin A since lycopene responsible for that pinkish character has the same structure as carotene.