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Amaranthus pumilus Rafinesque. Common name: Seabeach Amaranth, Dwarf Amaranth. Phenology: Jul-Nov. Habitat: Sea beaches, fore-dunes, island end flats, rarely on sound-side beaches. Distribution: Se. MA south to c. SC; presently known to be extant only from NC, n. SC, e. MD, DE (McAvoy 2002), se. NY (Long Island), VA, and NJ. Since 2000, populations have crashed rangewide.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Other Comments: Seeds of this plant require cold stratification, high temperatures, and light to germinate (Baskin & Baskin 1998); this is apparently responsible for the late seasonality of the species (germination in late spring and early summer) and its seed-banking. See Hancock & Hosier (2003) for discussion of the ecology of this interesting species.

Synonymy : = C, F, FNA4, G, GW2, K4, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S13, Tat, Va, Bayón (2015). Basionym: Amaranthus pumilus Raf. 1808

Links to other floras: = Amaranthus pumilus - FNA4

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACW

Heliophily : 9

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image of plant© Bruce Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Mike Kunz | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Mike Kunz | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Radford, Ahles and Bell | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Prostrate to ascending, mat-forming annual of sea beaches, fore-dunes, island end flats and, rarely, sound-side beaches.

Stems: Stems fleshy, branching from the base, reddish, smooth.

Leaves: Leaves alternate but clustered toward ends of branches, petiolate, round to oval with decurrent base and shallow notch at the tip, 1/2-3/4 in. long, fleshy, margins slightly wavy, smooth.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in conspicuous clusters in leaf axils, reddish-green, minute, with yellow stamens in male flowers protruding at peak flowering.

Fruits: Fruit a shiny black seed surrounded by a dark, wrinkled membrane.

Comments: Larger plants may contain over 100 stems branching from the center, attaining a diameter of more than 3 ft.

Height: 4-10 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Prostrate to ascending, mat-forming annual of sea beaches, fore-dunes, island end flats and, rarely, sound-side beaches.

stems: Stems fleshy, branching from the base, reddish, smooth.

leaves: Leaves alternate but clustered toward ends of branches, petiolate, round to oval with decurrent base and shallow notch at the tip, 1/2-3/4 in. long, fleshy, margins slightly wavy, smooth.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in conspicuous clusters in leaf axils, reddish-green, minute, with yellow stamens in male flowers protruding at peak flowering.

fruits: Fruit a shiny black seed surrounded by a dark, wrinkled membrane.

comments: Larger plants may contain over 100 stems branching from the center, attaining a diameter of more than 3 ft.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range:



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