Botanical Description.--The flowers open toward the end of the day and close again at sunrise. The root is blackish and spindle-shaped. The stem smooth, branches forked. Leaves opposite, lanceolate-cordate, acute, somewhat downy along the borders and the upper surface. Petioles short. Flowers fragrant, almost constantly blooming, of different colors even in the same plant, terminal, in umbels. Pedicels very short. Calyx persistent, 5-toothed. Corolla superior, very long, its tube downy, funnel-form, limb 5-lobed. Stamens 5, longer than the corolla. Style longer than the stamens. Stigma globose. Nut small, black, globose, many-ribbed, full of a mealy substance. Habitat.--Common in gardens. AMARANTHACEÆ. Amaranth Family. _Amaranthus spinosus_, L. Nom. Vulg.--_Kilitis_, _Orayi_, Tag.; _Ayantoto_, Pam.; _Kalitis_, _Tilites_, _Bayang-bayang_, Vis.; _Kuanton_, Iloc.; _Thorny Amaranth_, Eng. Uses.--The entire plant is emollient and its principal use is as a poultice for inflammations, bruises, etc. The decoction of the root is diuretic and antiphlogistic and is used in Mauritius (30 grams root to 750 cc. water) as an internal remedy for gonorrhoea; indeed it is there regarded as a specific for that disease, checking the discharge and the "ardor urinæ." It should be continued till the cure is complete. The bruised leaves are used locally for eczema. Botanical Description.--A plant 2-3° high of a reddish color. Leaves alternate, lanceolate, broad, notched at the apex, wavy, glabrous. Petioles with a pair of spines in their axils. Flowers small, yellow-green, in round axillary clusters and in long terminal spikes. The pistillate flowers are sometimes separated from the staminate, sometimes mixed with them in the lower part of the spike. Staminate: No corolla, calyx 2-5 parts, stamens 4-5. Pistillate: Style and stigma 2 or 3, otherwise the same as the staminate. Seed vessel with 1 seed. Habitat.--Common in all parts. Blooms in October. _Achyranthes obtusifolia_, Lam. (_A. aspera_, Blanco.) Nom. Vulg.--_Hangor_, _Hangot_, _Dokotdekot_, _Libay_, Tag.; _Angod_, Pam. Uses.--The plant has astringent and diuretic properties; the latter were observed by Dr. Cornish, who communicated the facts to Waring, calling special attention to the good service the drug had afforded him in dropsy. Other physicians in India have confirmed these observations of Cornish. The decoction is made of 60 grams of the entire plant to 750 cc. water, boiled till reduced one-half and strained under pressure. Dose, 60 cc. every 2 hours till diuresis is induced. The ashes of this plant, like those of the _Amaranthus spinosus_, L., contain a large quantity of potassa, and are used for washing clothes; on this account it has received its Sanscrit name _Apamarga_ (the washer). The ashes are also mixed in an infusion of ginger and given internally in dropsy.