Alternanthera bettzickiana

Alternanthera bettzickiana (Regel) G.Nicholson, Ill. Dict. Gard. 1: 59 1884. (syn: Alternanthera amabilis Lem.; Alternanthera amabilis var. tricolor Linden & André; Alternanthera amoena (Lem.) Voss ........; Alternanthera articulata O.Stützer ....; Alternanthera bettzickiana (Regel) Voss .....; Alternanthera coerilis Voss; Alternanthera cyclophylla (Seub.) Schinz; Alternanthera ficoidea var. amoena (Lem.) L.B.Sm. & Downs; Alternanthera ficoidea var. bettzickiana (Regel) Backer .....; Alternanthera kerberi Uline & W.L.Bray; Alternanthera paronychioides Klotzsch ex K.Koch [Illegitimate]; Alternanthera paronychioides var. bettzickiana (Regel) Fosberg; Alternanthera purpurea Pynaert; Alternanthera reinhardii Voss [Invalid]; Alternanthera rosea Voss [Invalid]; Alternanthera sessilis var. amoena Lem.; Alternanthera spathulata Lem.; Alternanthera tenella var. bettzickiana (Regel) Veldkamp; Alternanthera variegata K.Koch; Alternanthera versicolor (Lem.) Regel; Alternanthera versicolor f. aurea Voss; Amarantesia brasiliensis (Regel) Regel; Telanthera bettzickiana Regel; Telanthera ficoidea var. versicolor Lem.); 
 

Red calico plant;
 
Perennial herb with creeping or erect stems; leaves green or red, sometimes tinged yellow, elliptic, oblong-ovate to spatulate, up to 4 cm long, somewhat undulate; petiole up to 4 mm long; flowers in sessile axillary or terminal ovoid or globose heads; bracts and bracteoles up to 3 mm long, ovate-lanceolate, apex acuminate; tepals white, unequal, with excurrent midnerve, hairy outside; stamens 5; pseudostaminodes as long as stamens, 3-5 parted at apex.   
 

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https://08511630493324166816.googlegroups.com/attach/7e84e12edce6034a/Alternanthera-bettzickiana--Delhi-2.jpg?part=0.1&view=1&vt=ANaJVrGRlMT_AAHu4bMz0vI8UbMBIT3K4j8uMEoS8Cy56UO-RF6VPN2e29f_CoGN-baHU-Xg_QdINchrUk8HL-PMKaWEy4X0u4tXFx0r2RBup7l_JFFXSus
https://08511630493324166816.googlegroups.com/attach/7e84e12edce6034a/Alternanthera-bettzickiana-Delhi-1.jpg?part=0.2&view=1&vt=ANaJVrGQBQhy2nyqgIJ6_DuzuYYNMYBj-imT1CD2NAIZLELjhC_POgAp9oJ4U8WBzmJe_KJYrtzXirjvBE8SxOwjowz3NTpKlou6jo54Vgm0pPh7TdAh800
https://08511630493324166816.googlegroups.com/attach/7e84e12edce6034a/Alternanthera-bettzickiana-Delhi-3.jpg?part=0.3&view=1&vt=ANaJVrGH0IYokxhueol2iZXkwT1oXyxm8H_1cSnO7sYAdj5htPLbSIL1Gx4yVtydmkbFBdyrjquB-JCfnevS72vtTaI87YK19G0mIZfkMactlgU05V1TzbQ
 
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Operation Alternanthera : 7 posts by 5 authors.
... has posted six species of Alternanthera recently.
He has also stated in one of the threads that "... the Alternanthera species on our databases need to be sorted out...".
In view may I request the members to pl. have a re-look at their Alternanthera species in Indiantreepix Database or otherwise & post them for sorting out in case they have any doubts.
Id confirmation has to be made by looking at all the characters.
The thread is open for suggestions and corrections if any......................
1) Colour of leaves red brown; cultivated garden plant........A.brasiliana
2) Sessile linear leaves...................................................A.sessilis
3) Plant carpet like; leaves orbicular or ovate3*3cm...........A.pungens
4) ...................similar....not much info............................A.pulchella
5) Erect tufted herbs; small petiole................................A.ficoidea or
Erect branched herb ................................................A.bettzichiana
.................may be syn..As per BSI Mah.......................A.tenella var.versicolour
6) Aquatic herb; flowers in globose heads........................A.philoxeroides.
This is an humble attempt some corrections might erupt..

Trying to keep it as simple as possible (but also fearing technical differences may get blurred) for easy identification:

1. Inflorescence a head on raised stalk

     2. Plants with thick reddish leaves, atleast ¾ as broad as long; cultivated as  hedge/border plant  ...1. A. brasileana (incl. A. dentata)

     2. Leaves not reddish, less than ½ as broad as long; wild plant of moist or aquatic habitats.  ….2. A.philoxeroides.

1. Inflorescence a sessile head in leaf axils

        3. Plants prostrate, mat-forming

             4. Leaves atleast ¾ as broad as long, stems and leaves rigid; flowers (tepals) spine-tipped ……3. A. pungens

             4. Leaves usually less than ½ as broad as long, stems and leaves soft; flowers (tepals) not spin-tipped …..4. A. paronychoides

      3. Plants erect or spreading not mat-forming

5. Leaves sessile, linear or narrowly oblanceolate; plant of moist or wet situations …. 5. A. sessilis

5. Leaves with distinct petiole; mostly cultivated

    6. Leaves green or tinged with purple; mostly oblanceolate, gradually narrowed into petiole, less than ½ as broad as long …….6. A. bettzickiana (incl. A. amoena and A. versicolor)

    6. Leaves green, not tinged with purple; mostly elliptic-ovate, more than ½ as broad as long, more sharply narrowed into short petiole…………………..……………...7. A. ficoidea        

No decision/information yet on A. pulchella, although it is listed on the net profusely.
Its nice to see that the database of ITP is becoming more and more technically strong and authentic, thanks to dedicated people like ... and many others. Its already started serving as e-flora of India. Slowly we can start even revising genera and families of indian plants.
This key is highly useful sir,
I have a doubt about Alternanthera bettzickiana was it a variety of A. tenella. Also, would be more useful if A.tenella is included in key.
Even I have same doubts as ... ...........rightly pointed.
There have been lot of nomenclature changes in this genus. Bailey in Manual of cultivated plants considered A. bettzickiana, A. amoena and A. versicolor as distinct species. They are now all treated under single species A. bettzickiana.
GRIN, which we generally follow for nomenclature purposes, considers A. tenella Colla as synonym of A. ficoidea and not a distinct species.
  
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Ornamental Plant for ID : Nasik : 041112 : AK-2:  An ornamental, cultivated plant seen at Racca Nursery, Nasik on 3/10/2010.
Very small potted plant with colored leaves.
Acalypha?
this is Alternanthera amoena 
 
https://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix/attach/26d445e0470d95d/IMG_3584_1.jpg?part=0.1&authuser=0&view=1
 
28/11/2012
requesting identification of a wild herb with purple leaves at Pune. is this a Alternanthera spp?
no fruits were seen
It looks like Celosia sp. of Amaranthaceae
Or may be Alternanthera sp...
Yes, I think Alternanthera bettzickiana.

[efloraofindia:Id 04022013MR2] Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceae Week: Alternanthera bettzickiana at Pune:
Nov 2012
Sharing image of Alternanthera bettzickiana at Pune

https://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix/attach/d4192dc20526f946/Alternanthera-amoena-Khalsa-24-11-DSC08767.jpg?part=0.1&authuser=0&view=1
https://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix/attach/d4192dc20526f946/Alternanthera-bettzickiana-Delhi-1.jpg?part=0.2&authuser=0&view=1
 
Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceae: Alternanthera bettzickiana (Regel) G.Nicholson from Delhi: 4 images.
Alternanthera bettzickiana (Regel) G.Nicholson, Ill. Dict. Gard. 1: 59 1884.
syn: Telanthera bettzichiana Regel; Alternanthera amoena (lem) Voss
Common names: Calico-plant
Perennial herb with creeping or erect stems; leaves green or red, sometimes tinged yellow, elliptic, oblong-ovate to spatulate, up to 4 cm long, somewhat undulate; petiole up to 4 mm long; flowers in sessile axillary or terminal ovoid or globose heads; bracts and bracteoles up to 3 mm long, ovate-lanceolate, apex acuminate; tepals white, unequal, with excurrent midnerve, hairy outside; stamens 5; pseudostaminodes as long as stamens, 3-5 parted at apex.
Photographed from Delhi
 
https://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix/attach/8aeb8dd723677390/Calico%20Plant,Parrotleaf,Alternanthera%20ficoidea%20var.%20bettzickiana,Racca%20Nursery,Nasik-DSCN4213.JPG?part=0.1&authuser=0&view=1
 
Posted on our group earlier and identified by ... 

 
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Aerva sanguinolenta (L.) Blume (accepted name) ??
 : 5 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (3)  
Location: Chitwan, Nepal
Altitude: 900 ft.
Date: 29 December 2013
Alternanthera bettzickiana (Amaranthaceae) to me.
Please see A. bettzickiana in eFI and Aerva sanguinolenta in eFI.

Is ID correct ?
Thank you ...!
It looks like introduced to Nepal !
 
  
 
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