Taxon: Amaranthus blitum L.

Summary

Genus:

Amaranthus

Subgenus:

Albersia

Family:

Amaranthaceae

Nomen number:

2788

Place of publication:

Sp. pl. 2:990. 1753

Comment:

J. D. Hooker (1885) was apparently the first to unite Amaranthus blitum L. and A. lividus L., two names of equal priority, and he selected A. blitum

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

02/04/2003 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

0 (0 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System.

Other conspecific taxa

Amaranthus blitum L. subsp. blitum (5 active accession[s])
Amaranthus blitum L. subsp. emarginatus (Moq. ex Uline & Bray) Carretero et al. var. pseudogracilis (Thell.) Costea (3 active accession[s])
Amaranthus blitum L. subsp. emarginatus (Salzm. ex Uline & Bray) Carretero et al. (0 active accession[s])
Amaranthus blitum L. subsp. emarginatus (Salzm. ex Uline & Bray) Carretero et al. var. emarginatus (Salzm. ex Uline & Bray) Costea (0 active accession[s])
Amaranthus blitum L. subsp. oleraceus (L.) Costea (3 active accession[s])
Amaranthus blitum L. var. blitum (0 active accession[s])

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Arianoutsou, M. et al. 2021. Alien plants of Europe: introduction pathways, gateways and time trends. PeerJ 9:e11270. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11270. Note: listed as an alien, naturalized since the early 19th Century in northern Europe
Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45 Note: = Amaranthus blitum var. blitum
Brenan, J. P. M. & C. C. Townsend. 1980. (540) Proposal to reject Amaranthus blitum L. (Amaranthaceae) under Art. 69 in favor of A. lividus L. Taxon 29:695-696.
Brummitt, R. K. 1984. Report of the Committee for Spermatophyta: 27. Taxon 33:298. Note: rejection proposal not recommended
Costea, M. & F. J. Tardif. 2003. The biology of Canadian weeds. 126. Amaranthus albus L., A. blitoides S. Watson and A. blitum L. Canad. J. Pl. Sci. 83:1039-1065.
Costea, M. et al. 2001. Notes on some little known Amaranthus taxa (Amaranthaceae) in the United States. Sida 19:977-986.
Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1197.
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
Fillias, F. et al. 1980. Amaranthus blitum vs. A. lividus (Amaranthaceae). Taxon 29:149-150.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada, ed. 2
Görts-van Rijn, A. R. A., ed. 1986-. Flora of the Guianas.
Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
Hara, H. et al. 1978-1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles.
Hügin, G. 1987. Einige Bemerkungen zu wenig bekannten Amaranthus - Sippen (Amaranthaceae) Mitteleuropas. Willdenowia 16:455.
Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Siemonsma, J. S. & Kasem Piluek, eds. 1993. Vegetables. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 8:84.
Terrell, E. E. et al. 1986. Agricultural Handbook no. 505
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1993. Flora europaea, ed. 2. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Common names

Language	Name	Alternate name	seq	Citation
English	Guernsey pigweed		1	Botanical Society of the British Isles. BSBI taxon database (on-line resource).
English	livid amaranth		1	Terrell, E. E. et al. 1986. Agricultural Handbook no. 505
English	purple amaranth		1	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
English	slender amaranth		1	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Chinese	ao tou xian	凹头苋	2	Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
French	amarante livide		2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
German	aufsteigender Amarant		2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
German	aufsteigender Fuchsschwanz		2	Erhardt, W. et al. 2008. Der große Zander: Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen 2:1197.
Spanish	bledo		2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Swedish	mållamarant		2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Kenya			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Uganda			Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Algeria			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Egypt			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Libya			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Morocco			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Tunisia			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Africa	South Tropical Africa	Malawi			Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Anhui Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Fujian Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Gansu Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guangdong Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Guizhou Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hainan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hebei Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Heilongjiang Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Henan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hubei Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hunan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Jiangsu Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Jiangxi Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Jilin Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Liaoning Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Shaanxi Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Shandong Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Shanxi Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Sichuan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Yunnan Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Zhejiang Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Taiwan
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Turkmenistan
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Iran
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Turkey
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Nepal			Hara, H. et al. 1978-1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Pakistan
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Sri Lanka			Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Laos
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Vietnam
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Indonesia
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Austria			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Hungary			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Albania			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Bulgaria			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Croatia
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Greece			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Italy			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	North Macedonia
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Serbia
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Slovenia
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	France			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Portugal			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Spain			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
2	Cultivated	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Kenya			PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Uganda			PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Cameroon			PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India			PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
2	Cultivated	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Greece			PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
4	Naturalized					widely natzd.
6	Other					exact native range obscure

Native
Africa

NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda
SOUTH TROPICAL AFRICA: Malawi

Asia-Temperate

WESTERN ASIA: Iran, Turkey
MIDDLE ASIA: Turkmenistan
CHINA: China [Anhui Sheng, Fujian Sheng, Gansu Sheng, Guangdong Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Guizhou Sheng, Hainan Sheng, Hebei Sheng, Heilongjiang Sheng, Henan Sheng, Hubei Sheng, Hunan Sheng, Jiangsu Sheng, Jiangxi Sheng, Jilin Sheng, Liaoning Sheng, Shaanxi Sheng, Shandong Sheng, Shanxi Sheng, Sichuan Sheng, Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu, Yunnan Sheng, Zhejiang Sheng]
EASTERN ASIA: Japan, Taiwan

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan
INDO-CHINA: Laos, Vietnam
MALESIA: Indonesia

Europe

MIDDLE EUROPE: Austria, Hungary
SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Croatia, Italy, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia
SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain, France, Portugal

Cultivated
Africa

EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya, Uganda
WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Cameroon

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India

Europe

SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Greece

Naturalized (widely natzd.)
Other (exact native range obscure)

Reference(s)

PROTABASE, the information base of PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa) (on-line resource).
Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
Exell, A. W. et al., eds. 1960-. Flora zambesiaca. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
Hara, H. et al. 1978-1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Amaranthus lividus L.
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Food additives	coloring	potential as alternative to commercial red beat	Costea, M. & F. J. Tardif. 2003. The biology of Canadian weeds. 126. Amaranthus albus L., A. blitoides S. Watson and A. blitum L. Canad. J. Pl. Sci. 83:1039-1065.
Human food	vegetable		Costea, M. & F. J. Tardif. 2003. The biology of Canadian weeds. 126. Amaranthus albus L., A. blitoides S. Watson and A. blitum L. Canad. J. Pl. Sci. 83:1039-1065.
Human food	vegetable		Siemonsma, J. S. & Kasem Piluek, eds. 1993. Vegetables. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 8:84.
Weed			CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=2788. Accessed 12 May 2026.