Amaranthus watsonii

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}}

{{speciesbox

|genus = Amaranthus

|species = watsonii

|authority = Standl.

|synonyms =

• Amaranthus torreyi (A.Gray) Benth. ex S.Watson
• Amblogyna torreyi A.Gray
• Sarratia berlandieri var. emarginata Torr.

|synonyms_ref = {{cite web|url=http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl/record/kew-2633165|title=The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species}}

}}

Amaranthus watsonii is a species of amaranth known by the common name Watson's amaranth.{{PLANTS|id=AMWA|taxon=Amaranthus watsonii|accessdate=7 January 2016}} It is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in sandy places such as deserts and beaches, and disturbed areas. It is also known as a rare introduced species in parts of Europe. This is an erect annual herb producing a glandular hairy stem to a maximum height of about a meter. The leaves are generally oval-shaped and up to 8 centimeters long, with a petiole of up to 9 centimeters. The species is dioecious, with male and female individuals producing different types of flowers. The inflorescence is a long spike cluster of flowers interspersed with spiny green glandular bracts. The fruit is a smooth capsule about 2 millimeters long that snaps in half to reveal a small shiny reddish black seed.