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Chenopodium

(Genus)

Herbs, annual or perennial [rarely suffruticose, or small trees], farinaceously pubescent with small white inflated hairs or glabrous. Stems erect to prostrate, branched (rarely simple), not jointed, not armed, not fleshy. Leaves alternate, petiolate or sessile, not fleshy; blade linear, oblong, lanceolate, ovate, triangular, trullate, or rhombic, flattened, not jointed, not spinose, base truncate, cordate, hastate, or cuneate, margins entire, dentate, sinuate, or serrate, apex acute to acuminate or obtuse, occasionally lobed. Inflorescences spicate and terminal or axillary glomerules; bracts usually absent or leaflike but narrower than leaves. Flowers bisexual (rarely unisexual, then terminal flower male or bisexual and lateral flowers female), bracteoles absent; perianth segments (3-) 5, usually connate at base, sometimes almost to middle or beyond, not imbricate, rounded or keeled abaxially, wings and spines absent; stamens 5 or fewer; ovary superior; style 1 or absent; stigmas 2(-5), filiform. Fruits utricles or achenes, often enclosed in infolded perianth, indehiscent or irregularly dehiscent; pericarp membranaceous or chartaceous, adherent or nonadherent. Seeds horizontal or vertical [rarely oblique], lenticular to subglobose; seed coat black, brown-black, or reddish brown; embryo annular or hippocrepiform (horseshoe-shaped), surrounding copious farinaceous perisperm; radicle inferior or centrifugal. x = 9.

Species 100+: worldwide.

Seeds are generally flattened and lentil-like. The equatorial edge (here called margin) may be rounded, flattened, or grooved. The surface is usually honey combed or smooth. All leaf characteristics refer to primary, well-developed leaves; those often fall early, however, so smaller, upper leaves often are shorter, narrower, and less lobed.[1]

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Taxonomy

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The Genus Chenopodium is further organized into finer groupings including: