Chenopodium rubrum

Red goosefoot grows almost everywhere: in fields, in gardens, in excavated areas, garbage dumps, manure piles and dredgings from ditches. In other words, it is a real 'weed'. It germinates quickly, and usually earlier than other plants. In the dunes, red goosefoot often grows in dune slacks which are dry in the summer and under water in the winter. It needs lots of nutrients and open space. The plant tolerates salt and therefore is also found in saline or brackish environments. Its leaves and stem can turn deep red later in the year, giving the landscape a colorful autumn color. Besides the Netherlands, it is found in large parts of the world, in regions with a temperate climate.

Chenopodium gubanovii Sukhorukov (Feddes Repert. 110: 493. 1999) was recently described from the Mongolian Altai Mountains and reported from NE Kazakhstan, W Mongolia, and Russia (Altai and Tuva). Judging from its known distribution pattern, this species can be expected in NW Xinjiang. It differs from C. rubrum in having leaf blades broadly ovate to rhombic-ovate, almost entire at the margin; perianth segments oblanceolate, enlarged and distinctly keeled in fruit; and seeds with an acute rim margin. In general habit this taxon resembles C. chenopodioides, but evidently differs in the aforementioned perianth and seed characters.

Stems erect to ascending or prostrate, much-branched, 0.1-6(-8) dm, glabrous. Leaves non-aromatic; petiole 0.05-0.45 cm; blade triangular to rhombic, 1-9 × 1-6 cm, base cuneate, margins dentate or entire, apex obtuse to acute. Inflorescences lateral glomerules sessile on lateral branched spikes; glomerules subglobose, 2-5 mm diam.; bracts linear, 0.4-2 cm. Flowers: perianth segments 3 or 4, usually connate only at base; lobes lanceolate to elliptic, 0.8-1 × 0.4-0.8 mm, membranaceous, apex broadly acute to rounded, occasionally deeply retuse, rounded or occasionally keeled, glabrous, green and covering fruit at maturity; stamens 2-3; stigmas 2, 0.1 mm. Utricles ovoid; pericarp nonadherent, reticulate-punctate. Seeds vertical and occasionally horizontal, ovoid, 0.6-1(-1.2) mm diam., margins rounded; seed coat reddish brown, smooth. 2n = 18.

Herbs annual, 30-80 cm tall. Stem erect or obliquely spreading, light green or reddish, obscurely striate, ribbed, glabrous; upper branches usually 2-8 cm. Leaf blade green or often red tinged on both surfaces, ovate to rhombic-ovate, 4-8 × 2-6 cm, 3-5 × as long as petiole, succulent, adaxially slightly farinose to subglabrous, base cuneate, margin serrate-dentate to lobed, rarely entire, apex acuminate; teeth in 3-5 pairs, triangular, unequal, usually slightly incurved, apex subobtuse. Flowers bisexual and female, several per glomerule, arranged in spikelike panicles on upper branches. Perianth segments 3 or 4(or 5), green, often becoming red at maturity, obovate, abaxially slightly fleshy at center, adaxially concave, remaining unchanged in fruit, glabrous or slightly farinose. Stigmas 2, very short. Pericarp membranous, whitish, not adnate to seed. Seed vertical, oblique, or horizontal, red-black to black, globose or broadly ovoid, slightly depressed, 0.75-1 mm in diam., distinctly oblong pitted, rim margin obtuse. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct.

Slightly saline-alkaline places. N Gansu, W Heilongjiang, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Xinjiang [C and SW Asia, Europe, North America; naturalized in other regions].

Blitum polymorphum C. A. Meyer, p.p.; B. rubrum (Linnaeus) Reichenbach.