Amaranthus spinosus

15. Amaranthus spinosus L. (S-Am.) – A rare and always ephemeral alien. Formerly sometimes seen as a wool alien in the Vesdre valley, at least between 1887 (first Belgian record in Nessonvaux) and 1952. Elsewhere exceptionally recorded, especially on dumps in the surroundings of Antwerpen. However, from the 1980’s onwards regularly seen (most years) in port areas in Antwerpen and Gent (exceptionally elsewhere, for instance in Izegem in 1995). All recent records are associated with cereals and oil seeds (soybeans) (see also Robbrecht & Jongepier 1986, Verloove & Vandenberghe 1994).

Amaranthus spinosus; Drawing S.Bellanger

 


Selected literature:

Gonen O. & Uygur F.N. (2000) A new record for the Flora of Turkey: Amaranthus spinosus L. (Amaranthaceae). Turk. J. Bot. 24(6): 359-360.

Iamonico D. & El Mokni R. (2018) A new addition to the alien flora of Tunisia, Amaranthus spinosus L. (Amaranthaceae s.l.), with notes on A. diacanthus Raf. Acta Bot. Croat., DOI: 10.2478/botcro-2018-0009.

Mohamadzadeh Z., Sheidai M. & Assadi M. (2005) Amaranthus spinosus L. (Amaranthaceae), a new record for the flora of Iran. Iranian J. Bot. 11(1): 55-58.

Robbrecht E. & Jongepier J.-W. (1986) Floristische waarnemingen in de kanaalzone Gent-Terneuzen (België, Oost-Vlaanderen & Nederland, Zeeuws-Vlaanderen), vooral van 1981 tot 1985. Dumortiera 36: 6-21.

Tackholm V. & El Gazzar A. (1977) Amaranthus spinosus L., a new record to the flora of Egypt. Publ. Cairo Univ. Herb. 7-8: 207-210.

Verloove F. & Vandenberghe C. (1994) Nieuwe en interessante graan- en veevoederadventieven voor de Belgische en Noordfranse flora, hoofdzakelijk in 1993. Dumortiera 58-59: 44-59.

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith