PLANTS THE PRAIRIE GOOSEFOOTS

DIANA BIZECKI ROBSON, The Manitoba Museum, 190 Rupert Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 0N2, E-mail:

Introduction to the variable nature of the , and In this article I will: (1) discuss the close examination of the fruits is often , habitat, distribution, status needed for confirmation. and economic impact of the goosefoot () , (2) describe Habitat and Distribution the general characteristics of the Goosefoot species occur mainly in goosefoots, and (3) present a dry, saline and disturbed habitats. taxonomic treatment of the genus They have a number of adaptations consisting of a dichotomous key and that make this possible. Succulent descriptions of those species found leaves store water for use in times of in the Canadian prairies. All of the drought and narrow leaves have less species described also occur in the surface area from which water can United States. evaporate, both of which increase water use efficiency. 3-13 An annual The common name goosefoot habit means that goosefoot seeds can refers to both the family remain dormant until conditions are Chenopodiaceae and the genus moist enough to support their growth. Chenopodium. In this paper, it will refer Many goosefoot species also are to the latter. The common name tolerant of saline conditions. Surviving goosefoot is a literal translation of the in saline soils requires that the scientific name based on the Greek maintain a high enough concentration words chen meaning goose and pous of salts that saline water will continue meaning foot. This name refers to the to flow into the roots. However, as salts shape of some species in this can be harmful to plant cells, some group. The goosefoots are often method of dealing with the salts is overlooked due to their small, needed. Many goosefoot species store inconspicuous flowers. In North salts in special inflated hairs, called America, the goosefoot genus salt glands or bladders.3 The presence consists of only 34 species. In the of these glands gives goosefoots their prairie provinces of Canada, there are “scurfy” or “mealy” appearance. 20 species in total, six of which are Succulence also contributes to salt introduced from Eurasia. The genus tolerance because the stored water has been recently reviewed dilutes the salts, making them less taxonomically by the Flora of North harmful. 3'13 America 24 committee and there are now twice as many species in the Most goosefoot species in the prairie prairie provinces as reported in earlier provinces occur in the Prairie ecozone.1 floras 14'19 due to recent discoveries The species with narrow leaves are and taxonomic “splitting” of species typically found on dry, sandy soils in like Narrow-leaved Goosefoot (C. the plains while those with wider leptophyllum). Identification of leaves are generally found in moister goosefoot species can be difficult due conditions at the edges of woodlands

82 Blue Jay or among bushes. Saline (C. cultivated fields and gardens.24 glaucum) and Red Goosefoot (C. Lamb’s-quarters (C. album), the most rubrum) are commonly found around common introduced goosefoot saline wetlands.4 The native species species, is found in the Prairie, and that are fairly common in the Boreal Boreal Plain and Shield ecozones as Plains ecozone are Strawberry Blight far north as Churchill in Manitoba, (C. capitatum), Berlandier’s Goosefoot Lake Athabasca in Saskatchewan and (C. berlandieri) and Maple-leaf Peace River in Alberta.23 Goosefoot (C. simplex).14 Introduced species are typically found along Status of the Goosefoots in Canada roadsides, disturbed areas, and in Of the 14 native species found in the

66 (2) June 2008 83 prairies, seven are relatively rare. concern as it is an intermediate host to Smooth Goosefoot (C. subglabrum) is the crop pest, beet leafhopper.18 considered nationally threatened and is protected under the Species at Risk Six species of goosefoot are Act (Figure 1).17 Smooth Goosefoot is introduced from Eurasia. One of these restricted to sand dunes and species, Lamb’s-quarters, is a common uncultivated sand plains in the prairie agricultural weed although it is also provinces. 17 Two other goosefoot eaten as a potherb in many countries.18 species are considered nationally Lamb’s-quarters is the alternate host for rare: Narrowleaf Goosefoot (C. a number of viral crop diseases.18 The leptophyllum) and Dakota Stinking potherb Good King Henry (C. bonus- Goosefoot (C. watsonii).2 Narrowleaf henricus) is sometimes cultivated in Goosefoot is found on sandy soils in prairie gardens and occasionally all three prairie provinces while Dakota escapes but has not become a serious Stinking Goosefoot has been found on weed.4 The remaining four introduced heavily eroded, clayey soils along river species (C. foliosum, C. murale, C. valleys in southern Alberta and polyspermum var. acutifolium and C. Saskatchewan. 12'16 Dark Goosefoot stricture) are relatively uncommon (C. atrovirens) and Mealy Goosefoot weeds moving north from the United (C. incanum) are considered States, but they have the potential to provincially rare in Alberta and become more troublesome, especially Saskatchewan.10> 12 Hians’ Goosefoot if climate warming makes conditions in (C. hians) is rare in Saskatchewan with the prairies more suitable for their only one confirmed specimen ever growth.9 being found. 10 Arid Goosefoot (C. dessicatum) is considered rare in The rarity of many goosefoot species Alberta and uncommon in as well as their potential to become Saskatchewan. 10-12 In addition to crop weeds in a changing climate growing in relatively uncommon makes collection and identification of habitats, the rarity of these species is in this genus extremely due in part to their annua! habit; they important. Unusual specimens appear to germinate erratically and are observed are therefore worth collecting thus temporally rare.1617 It is possible and donating to herbaria to better that these species are adapted to the determine the distribution and soil disturbances made by herds of frequency of these species. migratory Bison, as well as rodents like the Black-tailed Prairie Dog.16 In Economic Impact of Goosefoots recent times, rare goosefoot plants The goosefoot family contains many have been found in areas of native of the species that we consider to be grassland that have been heavily weeds including Russian Pigweed grazed and trampled by cattle, further (.Axyris amaranthoides L.), Russian- lending support to this hypothesis. thistle (Salsola tragus L.) and Summer Cypress (Kochia scoparia (L.) Four of the native species are Schrad.). However, it also contains considered to be weeds of gardens, several highly nutritious species such waste areas, roadsides and edges of as Beet and Swiss Chard (Beta cultivated fields, namely Berlandier’s vulgaris L.), Spinach ( Goosefoot, Strawberry Blight, Maple-leaf oleracea L.), and the wild forage plant Goosefoot and Saline Goosefoot. 18 Winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata Berlandier’s Goosefoot is of particular (Pursh) Meeuse & Smit).

84 Blue Jay The goosefoot genus has several further abandonment of these species species that are grown as crop plants. in favour of Old World crops. Active Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) suppression of the use of some was originally cultivated by the Incas traditional crops also occurred: the of Peru over 5,000 years ago.7 Quinoa Incas considered Quinoa sacred, so fell out of favour as modern crop plants Spanish conquistadors discouraged spread, but is still in cultivation today them from growing this plant as a as it is relatively drought, frost and salt- method of cultural subjugation.25 tolerant making it an excellent crop plant in adverse growing conditions.7 Several species of goosefoots are 11 Quinoa is very nutritious due to the grown mainly for their leaves: Lamb’s- high protein content.23 In fact, it is one quarters, known in as Fat Hen; of the only foods with all nine essential Good King Henry; Jerusalem Oak amino acids, making it nutritionally (Chenopodium botrys L.); Foetid valuable for vegetarians in particular. Goosefoot or yerba del zorillo (C. 23 Raw Quinoa must first be rinsed to graveolens Willd.); and Wormseed or remove the bitter and mildly toxic epazote (C. ambrosioides L.).72223 saponins from the seed.7 Due to the The first three plants are native to lack of the protein gluten, Quinoa can Europe and have become naturalized be eaten by people with a gluten (i.e. in many places around the world wheat) allergy. The seeds can be including Canada. Archaeological cooked like rice or couscous, or evidence suggests that Lamb’s- ground up and used as flour. quarters may have been grown for its seeds during the Neolithic Age by Other important pseudograins in Europeans before crops from the this genus include Kaniwa (C. Middle East came to dominate the pallidicaule Aellen), which is still grown agriculture of the region.5 21 Lamb’s- in Peru and Bolivia, and Pitseed quarters and Good King Henry have Goosefoot or huauzontle (C. highly nutritious leaves that can be berlandieri Moq. ssp. nuttalliae (Saff.) eaten raw in a salad or cooked like H. D. Wilson & Heiser), which is still spinach.23 Jerusalem Oak leaves are grown in Mexico.23 Pitseed Goosefoot eaten like spinach but also used as was one of the crops in the Eastern an herb. Foetid Goosefoot leaves are agricultural complex, a group of plants edible but toxic in large quantities and that were cultivated by First Nations in uncommon outside Latin America.22 the east and midwestern part of the 23 Mexicans use Wormseed as an United States.8 Pitseed Goosefoot herb in a wide range of traditional was grown along with Squash dishes.22 Wormseed is also grown (Cucurbita pepo L.), Little Barley for its oil, which is useful for expelling (Hordeum pusillum Nutt.), Erect intestinal worms.22 All five of these Knotweed (Polygonum erectum L.), plants are rarely available Maygrass (Phalaris caroliniana commercially in North America, being Walter), Sumpweed or Marshelder (Iva grown only occasionally in home annua L.), and Sunflower (Helianthus gardens. annuus L.), starting approximately 2,000 years ago.20 About 1,100 years As goosefoot plants are wind- ago cultivation of these early crop pollinated, they may cause rhinitus or plants was slowly abandoned in favour hay fever in sensitized people. 6 of a new, cold-tolerant variety of maize Goosefoot plants typically flower in (Zea mays L.). 8 The arrival of summer and fall and can produce Europeans in the late 1400s led to the copious quantities of pollen. Although

66 (2) June 2008 85 all goosefoot plants can potentially consist of terminal or cause hay fever, the species most axillary spikes or panicles of likely to affect people is Lamb’s- glomerules (i.e. dense, often rounded quarters as it is widespread, abundant clusters of flowers). The flowers are and present in disturbed, urban and small, greenish, with no bracts or agricultural habitats.6 People with petals, 3-5 sepals that are keeled or summer and fall hay fever should avoid rounded and may be fused at the base, growing goosefoot plants like Good 5(1) , 2 stigmas, and a King Henry in their gardens, or superior ovary. The fruit is an achene alternatively consume the plants or a utricle, and may be covered by the before they flower to prevent exposure. sepals at maturity. An achene is a one- seeded fruit with a firm, close-fitting Description of Chenopodium 41415 24 pericarp (i.e. fruit wall) not easily This genus contains mainly annual, but separated from the seed, while a also a few perennial, herbs that are utricle is one-seeded fruit with a thin, glabrous (i.e. smooth, lacking hairs or bladdery, inflated pericarp that is glands) or farinose (i.e. covered with readily separable from the seed. The small, white bladders). The stems are pericarp is smooth or variously erect to prostrate, typically branched textured. The seeds can be vertical or and unarmed. The leaves are horizontal (Figure 2), lens-shaped to alternate on the stem, stalked or rarely rounded, black, brown-black or reddish sessile, linear, oblong, lanceolate, brown, smooth, warty, rugose (i.e. ovate, triangular or rhombic in shape, wrinkled), punctate (i.e. pitted) or with with margins that are entire, toothed, a honeycombed texture. wavy or lobed, and often farinose. The

Figure 2. Vertical (a) and horizontal (b) fruits in the goosefoot genus. D.B. Robson Identification Key to the Goosefoots of the Prairies41415 24

la. Calyx fleshy, red, and globular, resembling a small strawberry.2

lb. Calyx not fleshy, red, and strawberry-like .3

2a. Leaf-like bracts present throughout the flower spike; flowers maturing from base upwards; 1 . C. foliosum

2b. Leaf-like bracts present only in lower half of the flower spike; flowers maturing from top downwards; 3 stamens.C. capitatum

3a. Leaves mostly linear, occasionally linear-lanceolate or oblong-ovate, 2-3 times longer than wide or longer; entire or with two basal lobes.4

3b. Leaves deltoid, rhombic, oblong or ovate; to 2 times longer than wide; entire, toothed or lobed...9

4a. Leaves with 1 vein, blades linear, margins entire.5

4b. At least the lower leaves with 3 veins from the base, blades linear to lanceolate, margins may have 2 basal lobes.6

5a. Leaves glabrous to very sparsely farinose, fleshy; fruit a utricle (with a loose, inflated pericarp); seeds 1.3-1.5 mm in diameter.C. subglabrum

5b. Leaves moderately to densely farinose, not fleshy; fruit an achene (with a close-fitting pericarp); seeds 0.9-1.2 mm in diameter.C. leptophyllum

6a. Sepals covering the fruit at maturity.C. dessicatum

6b. Sepals not covering the fruit at maturity.7

7a. Leaves 1.5-3 times longer than broad, lower surface almost glabrous; glomerules in a loose panicle-like ; pericarp smooth.C. atrovirens

7b. Leaves 3 times longer than broad, lower surface farinose; glomerules in dense spikes or panicles; pericarp smooth or warty.8

8a. Fruit a utricle (with a loose, inflated pericarp); pericarp smooth; seeds rounded; lower leaves often with two prominent basal lobes or teeth .C. pratericola

8b. Fruit an achene (with a close-fitting pericarp); pericarp with small warts; seeds flattened; lower leaves entire.C. hians

9a. Seeds vertical, or both vertical and horizontal.1 0

9b. Seeds all horizontal.1 2

66 (2) June 2008 87 10a. Plants perennial; sepals 5; seeds more than 1.5 mm in diameter; fruits are achenes (with a close-fitting pericarp).. C. bonus-henricus

10b. Plants annual; sepals 3 or 4; seeds less than 1.5 mm in diameter; fruits are utricles (with a loose, inflated pericarp).11 lla. Leaves farinose, the underside white; seeds rugose-punctate.C. glaucum llb. Leaves glabrous, the underside not white or sparsely white, usually blackening upon drying; seeds smooth.C. rubrum

12a. Mature plants short, up to 25 cm high.13

12b. Mature plants tall, up to 50 cm high.14

13a. Plants up to 15 cm high when mature; fruit a whitened achene (with a close-fitting pericarp); leaves with a fishy scent when bruised.C. watsonii

13b. Plants up to 25 cm high when mature; fruit a utricle (with a loose, inflated pericarp); leaves lacking a fishy scent.C. iricanum

14a. Flowers individually arranged in panicles; leaf blades glabrous.15

14b. Flowers in loose or dense glomerules; leaf blades usually farinose ... 16

15a. Leaves wavy to toothed; seeds 1.3-1.9 mm in diameter.C. simplex

15b. Leaves entire; seeds 0.8-1.3 mm in diameter.C. polyspermum

16a. Seeds deeply honeycomb-pitted.C. berlandieri

16b. Seeds warty or smooth.17

17a. Leaves triangular; margins entire, lobed or toothed.18

17b. Leaves ovate to broadly ovate, rhombic or lanceolate; margins lobed or toothed .19

18a. Leaf blades toothed and sometimes with basal lobes, older leaves glabrous.C. murale

18b. Leaf blades with basal lobes but not toothed; leaf blades usually farinose .C. fremontii

19a. Leaf margins tapering to an acute apex; leaf blades stalked and ovate, rhombic or lanceolate; seeds circular in outline.C. album

19b. Leaf margins roughly parallel below the obtuse apex; leaf blades sessile and lanceolate to narrowly elliptic; seeds oval in outline.C. strictum

88 Blue Jay Descriptions of Goosefoot Species4 An erect to semi-erect annual, IQ- 10, 12, 14, 15, 19, 24 50 cm tall, usually with many The plants are arranged ascending to arched or drooping alphabetically according to their branches. Leaves with 0.5-1.5 cm scientific names since many of the stalks, ovate, oblong or oval, 3-veined, plants have more than one common obtuse to rounded at apex, rounded to name. After each scientific name there cuneate at base, margins entire or is a list of the synonyms for that rarely with two basal lobes, sparsely species. (A synonym is a name that farinose initially becoming glabrous, formerly was used for the plant.) The 1-3 cm long and 0.4-2.2 cm wide. flowering period is noted in the Inflorescence consists of dense descriptions; it can vary considerably glomerules in terminal and axillary depending on the geographic location paniculate spikes. Sepals 5, not fused, and weather conditions. with obovate lobes that are sparsely farinose and with a rounded or notched 1. Chenopodium album L. - Lamb’s- apex that does not cover the fruit at quarters or White Pigweed maturity. Fruits horizontal, smooth [C. a. ssp. dacoticum Aellen; C. a. var. achenes or utricles. Seeds dark red- fallax Aellen; C. a. var. lanceolatum brown to black, shiny, obscurely (Muhl. ex Willd.) Coss. & Germ.; C. a. wrinkled, lens-shaped and 0.9-1.3 var. polymorphum Aellen; C. mm in diameter. July-September. amaranticolor Coste & Reyn; C. Native and rare in open disturbed giganteum D. Don; C. lanceolatum sites, generally at higher elevations in Muhl. ex Willd.; C. paganum auct. non Alberta and Saskatchewan. Reich.; C. suecicum Murr.] An erect to sprawling annual, 20-80 3. Chenopodium berlandieri Moq.- cm high, simple to much branched, Tandon var. zschackei (Murr) Murr - usually with reddish striped stems. Pit-seed Goosefoot or Net-seed Leaves with 1-2.5 cm stalks, ovate, Lamb’s-quarters rhombic or lanceolate with an acute to [C. acerifolium Andrz.; C. album L. var. subobtuse apex, usually wavy- b. (Moq.) Mack. & Bush; C. b. ssp. z. margined, farinose, 1-6 cm long and (Murr) A. Zobel; C. b. var. farinosa 0.5-4 cm wide. Inflorescence in (Ludwig) Aellen; C. b. var. platyphyllum terminal and axillary panicles of dense (Issler) Ludwig; C. b. var. z. Murr.; C. glomerules. Sepals 5, not fused, the boscianum auct. p.p. non Moq.; C. z. lobes ovate, keeled and obtuse at the Murr.] apex, largely covering the fruit at An erect to ascending annual, 10- maturity. Fruits horizontal, smooth to 100 cm high, simple to much bumpy utricles. Seeds black, smooth branched and farinose. Leaves with to finely rugose, circular in outline and 0.2-9 cm stalks, rhombic or deltate, 0.9-1.6 mm in diameter. June- with an acute to acuminate apex, base September. An introduced, highly cuneate to truncate, margins entire, variable, and common weed found in toothed and often with 2 basal lobes, waste places, roadsides, and gardens farinose, 1.7-4 cm long and 0.5-3 cm throughout the prairie provinces. wide. Inflorescence consists of glomerules in compound spikes. 2. Chenopodium atrovirens Rydb. - Sepals 5, not fused, with ovate to Dark Goosefoot or Pinyon Goosefoot deltate lobes that are farinose, often [C. aridum A. Nels.; C. fremontii S. keeled and with an obtuse apex, Wats. var. a. (Rydb.) Fosberg; C. sometimes covering the fruit at incognita Wahl; C. wolfii Rydb.] maturity. Fruits horizontal achenes or

66 (2) June 2008 89 utricles that are honeycomb-pitted. achenes. Seeds rounded, black, Seeds brown to black, honeycomb- reticulate-pitted and 0.7-1.2 mm in pitted and 1.2-1.5 mm in diameter. diameter. June-August. Native and A u g u s t-S e p t e m b e r. Native, common on rocky or stony soil, around widespread and common in the bluffs and woodlands, and along grasslands, parklands and boreal roadsides throughout the prairie forests of the prairie provinces. provinces, particularly in boreal forest.

4. Chenopodium bonus-henricus L. - 6. Chenopodium desiccatum A. Good King Henry, Fat-hen or Wild Nelson - Arid Goosefoot, Arid-land Spinach Goosefoot A perennial herb with erect to [C. leptophyllum (Moq.-Tandon) Nutt, ascending, unbranched stems up to ex S. Wats. var. oblongifolium S. 75 cm. Leaves with 1-12 cm stalks, Wats.; C. /. auct. p.p. non (Moq.) Nutt.; triangular to hastate, apex acute, base C. o. (S.Wats.) Rydb.; C. pratericola truncate, cordate or hastate, margins auct. non Rydb.; C. p. Rydb. ssp. d. (A. entire, glabrous or slightly farinose, Nels.) Aellen; C. p. var. o. (S.Wats.) 4.5-10 cm long and 3-9 cm wide. Wahl] Flowers in dense, bractless A spreading to erect annual, 1-14 cm glomerules on terminal and axillary tall, usually branched from the base spikes, 5-19 cm long. Sepals 5, partly and densely farinose. Leaves with 0.3- fused at base, apex obtuse, rounded 0.4 cm stalks, linear to narrowly or truncate, glabrous, not covering fruit lanceolate, oblong-elliptic or ovate- at maturity. Fruits vertical and lanceoiate, at least the lower leaves horizontal achenes. Seeds round, with 3 veins, somewhat fleshy, apex black, wrinkled and 1.5-2 mm in acuminate, base cuneate, margins diameter. July-September. An entire, 1.5-2.5 cm long and 0.4-0.6 cm introduced potherb that occasionally wide. Inflorescence consists of escapes from gardens. glomerules in terminal and axillary panicles. Sepals 5, not fused, with 5. Chenopodium capitatum (L.) obovate lobes, densely farinose and Ambrosi var. capitatum - Strawberry- with an obtuse apex, covering the fruit blight, Indian-paint, Indian Ink at maturity. Fruits horizontal, smooth, [ capitatum L.] ovoid utricles. Seeds black, wrinkled An annual herb, erect or spreading, and 0.8-1.1 mm in diameter. July- to 50 cm high. Leaves with 1-12 cm September. Native and uncommon or stalks, triangular or ovate, apex acute rare in undisturbed saline soils of to acuminate, base cuneate, truncate Alberta and Saskatchewan. or hastate, margins entire or dentate, glabrous, 3-10 cm long and 1-9 cm 7. Chenopodium foliosum (Moench) wide. Inflorescence consisting of Ascherson - Leafy Goosefoot spikes with 3-10 mm diameter [Morocarpus foliosus Moench] glomerules, at intervals on the stem, An annual herb to 60 cm tall, with turning red and resembling small stems either erect or spreading. strawberries, with leaf-like bracts only Leaves with 0.5-6.5 cm stalks, in the upper half of the spike; flowers triangular to oblong, apex acute to maturing from apex to base. Sepals 3, acuminate, base cuneate, truncate or partly fused at base, with lanceolate to almost hastate, margins wavy or ovate lobes and an acute apex, dentate, glabrous, 2-8 cm long and 1- covering fruit at maturity. Stamens 3. 3.5 cm wide. Inflorescence consisting Fruits horizontal, ovoid, fleshy, red of spikes with 3-8 mm diameter

90 Blue Jay glomerules, at intervals on the stem, wide. Inflorescence consisting of turning red and resembling small glomerules in terminal or lateral strawberries, with leaf-like bracts spikes subtended by leaf-like bracts. throughout the spike. Flowers Sepals 3 or 4, not fused, with obovate maturing from base to apex. Sepals 3 to oblong lobes that cover the fruit at or 4, partly fused at base, with obovate maturity. Fruits horizontal and lobes and a rounded apex. Stamens occasionally vertical, ovoid, smooth usually 1. Fruits horizontal, ovoid, utricles. Seeds ovoid to round, dull smooth, dark reddish brown achenes. reddish brown, rugose-punctate and Seeds dark red-brown and 1-1.2 mm 0.6-1.1 mm in diameter. August- diameter. July-September. An October. Native and common in moist, introduced but uncommon weed in the saline locations or roadsides; grasslands of Alberta. throughout prairies and parklands of all three prairie provinces. 8. Chenopodium fremontii S. Wats. - Fremont’s Goosefoot 10. Chenopodium hians Standi. - [C.f. var. pringlei (Standi.) Aellen] Hian’s or Gaping Goosefoot An annual with rather slender, erect, [C. incognitum auct. p.p. non Wahl] mealy stems, ranging from 10 to 80 An erect annual, 10-45 cm tall, cm tall, usually with longitudinal dark simple or with a few copiously and green lines. Leaves with 0.4-2.5 cm coarsely farinose branches. Leaves stalks, broadly triangular, sometimes with 0.2-0.7 cm stalks, elliptic-oblong ovate to elliptic, apex rounded to or narrowly lanceolate, at least the obtuse, base truncate or cuneate, lower leaves 3-veined, apex acute to margins entire or with a pair of basal rounded, base cuneate, margins lobes, farinose, 1-5 cm long and 1-4 entire, green and glabrous above, cm wide. Inflorescence consisting of densely and coarsely white farinose open, interrupted, spikes of small beneath, 1.0-2.5 cm long and 0.3-0.6 glomerules. Sepals 5, not fused, with cm wide, petioles stout and up to half ovate lobes, somewhat farinose and as long as blade. Inflorescence with an obtuse apex, covering the fruit consisting of dense clusters in lateral at maturity. Fruits horizontal, ovoid, spikes or narrow panicles. Sepals 5, warty to smooth utricles. Seeds not fused, with elliptic, oblong or reddish brown to black, smooth and narrowly ovate lobes that are slightly 1-1.3 mm in diameter. July-September. keeled, densely farinose and with a Native and common in moist areas rounded apex, spreading from the fruit among bushes and bluffs, mainly in at maturity. Fruits horizontal achenes southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. with small warts. Seeds lens-shaped, black, wrinkled and 1-1.4 mm in 9. Chenopodium glaucum L. var. diameter. July-September. Native and salinum (Standi.) B. Boivin - Saline or rare in dry, sandy grasslands of Oak-leaf Goosefoot southwest Saskatchewan. [C. g. L. ssp. s. (Standi.) Aellen; C. g. var. pulchrum Aellen; C. s. Standi.] 11. Chenopodium incanum (S. Wats.) An erect to prostrate plant, 10-40 cm A. Heller var. incanum - Mealy tall with a rather fleshy, often reddish Goosefoot stem. Leaves with stalks to 1 cm, [C. fremontii S. Wats. var. /. S. Wats.] lanceolate to oval or oblong, sinuately An erect to spreading, densely toothed or lobed, resembling small oak branched annual, farinose, ranging leaves, farinose and whitish from 6 to 15 cm tall. Leaves with stalks underneath, 0.5-4 cm long, 0.3-1.5 cm to 1 cm, ovate to triangular, apex acute,

66 (2) June 2008 91 base cuneate to nearly truncate, 4 cm long and 0.4-3 cm wide. margins toothed and usually with a Inflorescence glomerules in terminal pair of basal teeth, farinose, 1-1.5 cm and lateral panicles that lack bracts. long and 0.5-1.6 cm wide. Sepals 5, not fused, with ovate lobes Inflorescence glomerules crowded in that cover the fruit at maturity. Fruits terminal and lateral panicles. Sepals horizontal, depressed ovoid, warty or 5, not fused, with ovate lobes, smooth achenes. Seeds lens-shaped, somewhat farinose and with an acute round, black, smooth to wrinkled and to obtuse apex, covering the fruit at 1-1.5 mm in diameter. August-October. maturity. Fruits horizontal, ovoid, An introduced but uncommon weed smooth utricles. Seeds black and found in southern Alberta and wrinkled, with a narrow rim and 0.9- Saskatchewan. 1.1 mm in diameter. July-August. Native and uncommon or rare in sandy 14. Chenopodium polyspermum L. soils and hillsides in southeast var. acutifolium Smith - Many Seeded Alberta and southwest Saskatchewan. Goosefoot [C. acutifolium Smith] 12. Chenopodium leptophyllum An erect, branched, glabrous annual (Moq.-Tan) Nutt, ex S. Wats. - to 1-m high. Leaves with stalks to 1.7 Narrowleaf Goosefoot cm, ovate-elliptic or oblong, apex [C. album L. var. /. Moq.] obtuse to rounded, base rounded to An erect annual, 10-40 cm tall, cuneate, entire or with a slight tooth usually branching from the base with above the base, glabrous, becoming a somewhat farinose stem. Leaves red at maturity, 1.5-4 cm long and 0.4- with stalks to 0.5 cm, the blades linear, 2.5 cm wide. Inflorescence sparse 1-veined, 0.7-2.6 cm long, 0.1-0.3 cm with many axillary cymes. Sepals 5, wide, somewhat fleshy, base cuneate, with oblong to elliptic lobes that do not margins entire, apex obtuse, farinose cover the fruit at maturity. Fruits above and densely farinose below. horizontal, depressed ovoid, smooth Inflorescence consists of dense utricles. Seeds brown-black, dull and glomerules in terminal and axillary 0.8-1.3 mm in diameter. June-July. An panicles. Sepals 5, rarely 4, not fused, introduced but uncommon weed in with lanceolate to elliptic lobes that are east-central Saskatchewan. strongly keeled, densely farinose and with an obtuse to rounded apex, 15. Chenopodium pratericola Rydb. - covering the fruit at maturity. Fruits Desert Goosefoot horizontal, ovoid, smooth achenes. [C. albescens Small; C. desiccatum Seeds black, finely wrinkled and 0.9- auct. non A. Nels.; C. d. A. Nels. var. 1.1 mm in diameter. July-September. leptophylloides (Murr) Wahl; C. p. var. Native and rare in sand dunes and /. (Murr) Aellen; C. leptophyllum auct. sandy disturbed grasslands in all non (Moq.) Nutt.] three prairie provinces. An erect annual, 20-80 cm tall, simple or with a few branches above 13. Chenopodium murale L. - and farinose. Leaves with 0.4-1 cm Sowbane or Nettle-leaved Goosefoot stalks, linear to narrowly lanceolate or An erect, branched, glabrous annual oblong-elliptic, at least the lower to 60 cm high. Leaves with 1-2.5 cm leaves with 3 veins, apex acute, base stalks, triangular, ovate or rhombic, cuneate, margins entire, often with a apex acute to acuminate, base cuneate pair of lobes or teeth near the base, to rounded, margins irregularly toothed somewhat fleshy, sparsely to densely or lobed, mature leaves glabrous, 0.8- farinose, 1.5-4.2 cm long and 0.4-1 cm

92 Blue Jay wide. Inflorescence consisting of vertical seeds 0.8-1 mm axillary and terminal panicles. Sepals wide.var. humile (Hook.) S. Wats. 5, rarely 4, not fused, with oblong to ovate lobes that are strongly keeled, 17. Chenopodium simplex (Torr.) Raf. densely farinose and with an obtuse, - Maple-leaf or Big-seed Goosefoot rounded or notched apex, spreading [C. gigantospermum Aellen; C. from the fruit at maturity. Fruits hybridum auct. non L.; C. h. ssp. g. horizontal, ovoid, smooth utricles. (Aellen) Hulten; C. h. var. g. (Aellen) Seeds round, black, wrinkled and 0.9- Rouleau; C. h. var. simplex Torr.] 1.3 mm in diameter. July-August. A An erect, branched, glabrous common native plant occurring on dry, annual, (30-) 50-120 cm high. Leaves sandy soils, slough margins and with stalks to 0.5 cm, ovate to alkaline areas in prairies and triangular, apex acute, base cordate to parklands. truncate, usually wavy or with 2-4 large sharp-pointed lobes on either margin, 16. Chenopodium rubrum L. - Red glabrous, 3.5-15 cm long and 2-9 cm Goosefoot or Coast-blight wide. Inflorescence of individually [C. humile Hook.; C. rubrum L. ssp. h. arranged flowers in interrupted (Hook.) Aellen] panicles. Sepals 5, fused at the base, An erect or prostrate plant to 75 cm with lanceolate to ovate lobes that do high, with many ascending, glabrous not cover the fruit at maturity. Fruits branches. Leaves with stalks to 0.5 horizontal, depressed ovoid, smooth cm, triangular to rhombic, apex obtuse achenes. Seeds lens-shaped, black to acute, base cuneate, coarsely and 1.3-1.9 mm in diameter. July- toothed or entire, glabrous, thick, dark October. A fairly common native plant green but usually blackening upon found in shady wooded places or drying, 1-9 cm long and 1-6 cm wide. disturbed areas throughout the prairie Glomerules 2-5 mm in diameter in provinces. leafy axillary spikes. Sepals 3 or 4, fused only at the base, with lanceolate 18. Chenopodium strictum Roth - to elliptic lobes that cover the fruit at Late-flowering Goosefoot or Upright maturity. Fruits vertical and Lamb’s-Quarters occasionally horizontal, ovoid utricles [C. album L. var. striatum (Kras.) with reticulate-punctate surfaces. Kartesz; C. glaucophyllum Aellen; C. Seeds, ovoid, smooth, dull reddish strictum Roth ssp. g. (Aellen) Aellen; brown when ripe and 0.6-1.0 mm in C. s. Roth var. g. (Aellen) Wahl] diameter. August to October. A An erect, branched, annual, 45-100 common native plant in saline, moist cm tall, glabrous to sparsely farinose. soil around sloughs and lakes, Leaves sessile, ovate-lanceolate to throughout the prairie provinces. oblong-ovate, apex obtuse, base cuneate, margins finely toothed, Two varieties are found in the farinose, 1.7-3.6 cm long and 1-3 cm prairies and these can be wide. Inflorescence glomerules distinguished by using the following rounded and in terminal spikes. key: Sepals 5, not fused, farinose, the lobes la. Stems erect or ascending; leaf ovate, slightly keeled and rounded at margins deeply toothed; vertical seeds the apex, not covering the fruit at 0.6-0.8 mm wide.var. rubrum L. maturity. Fruits horizontal, depressed, ovoid, smooth achenes. Seeds black, lb. Stems prostrate or spreading; leaf smooth, oval in outline and 0.9-1.5 mm margins entire or shallowly toothed; in diameter. August to October. An

66 (2) June 2008 93 introduced but uncommon weed in the keeled, farinose and ovate with acute southern grasslands of to obtuse apices that cover the fruit at Saskatchewan and Manitoba. maturity. Fruits horizontal achenes that are whitened and honeycombed. 19. Chenopodium subglabrum (S. Seeds whitened and coarsely Wats.) A. Nels. - Smooth Goosefoot honeycombed, subglobose and 0.9- [C. leptophyllum auct. non (Moq.) Nutt. 1.3 mm in diameter. July-September. exS. Wats.; C. /. (Moq.-Tan.) Nutt. exS. Native and rare in badlands, river Wats. var. s. S. Wats.] valleys, and disturbed native prairie in An erect, branched annual, 10-55 Alberta and Saskatchewan. cm high. Leaves with stalks to 1 cm, linear, 1-veined, apex acute to Acknowledgements acuminate, base cuneate, margins Financial support for this research entire, somewhat fleshy, glabrous or was received from The Manitoba very sparsely farinose, 1-3 cm, long Museum Foundation Inc. Special and 0.1-0.2 cm wide. Inflorescence thanks to Jackie Krindle for helping consists of small widely-spaced prepare the taxonomic key and clusters in terminal and axillary reviewing the paper, and to Tracey panicles. Sepals 5, partly fused at Wright and Kevin Szwaluk for testing base, sparsely farinose with ovate the key. Specimen loans were lobes that are obtuse or rounded at graciously supplied by the W.P. Fraser the apex, sparsely farinose and largely Herbarium (SASK) at the University of cover the fruit at maturity. Fruits Saskatchewan, University of Manitoba horizontal, smooth achenes. Seeds (WIN), University of Winnipeg (UWPG) lens-shaped with a narrow rim black, and the Department of Agriculture smooth, shiny and 1.3-1.6 mm in Herbarium (DAO). diameter. July-September. Native and rare on sand dunes and sand plains 1. ACTON, D.F., G.A. PADBURY, and C.T. in Alberta, Saskatchewan and STUSHNOFF. 1998. The ecoregions of Saskatchewan. Canadian Plains Research Center, Manitoba. University of Regina, Saskatoon, SK.

20. Chenopodium watsonii A. Nels. - 2. ARGUS, G.W., and K.M. PRYER. 1990. Rare Watson’s or Dakota Stinking vascular plants in Canada. Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa, ON. Goosefoot [C. dacoticum Standi.; C. glabrescens 3. BARBOUR, M.G., J.H. BURK, and W.D. PITTS. (Aellen) Wahl.; C. olidum S. Wats.] 1987. Terrestrial Plant Ecology. Benjamin/ An annual 2-15 cm tall, with erect, Cummings Publishing Co., Don Mills, ON. ascending or decumbent, farinose, 4. BASSETT, I.J., and C.W. CROMPTON. 1982. angular stems that are much The genus Chenopodium in Canada. Canadian branched. Leaves with 0.4-1.4 cm Journal of Botany 60:585-610. stalks, ovate, rounded triangular or 5. BOGAARD, A. The nature of early farming in rhombic, apex rounded to obtuse or Central and South-east Europe. Documenta acute, base rounded, broadly cuneate Praehistorica XXXI: 49-58. or nearly truncate, margins entire or with a pair of basal teeth, densely 6. CROMPTON, C.W. 1990. The distribution and attributes of selected weeds as hayfever plants. farinose, with a fishy scent when Aerobiologia 6:128-135. bruised, 1-2.6 cm long and 0.5-2.9 cm wide. Inflorescence consists of 7. D’AMICO, S. 1996. The visual food glomerules in paniculate spikes. encyclopedia. Quebec/Amerique International, Montreal, QC. Sepals 5, partly fused at the base,

94 Blue Jay 8. DIAMOND, J. 1999. Guns, Germs and Steel. 17. ROBSON, D.B. 2006. Status of smooth W.W. Norton & Co., New York, NY. goosefoot, Chenopodium subglabrum (Chenopodiaceae) in Canada. Canadian Field 9. DUKES, J.S., and H.A. MOONEY. 1999. Does Naturalist 120:335-341. global change increase the success of biological invaders? Trends in Ecology & Evolution 14:135- 18. ROYER, F., and R. DICKENSON. 1999. 139. Weeds of Canada and the Northern United States. University of Alberta Press and Lone Pine 10. HARMS, V.L. 2003. Checklist of the vascular Publishing, Edmonton, AB. plants of Saskatchewan and the provincially and nationally rare native plants in Saskatchewan. 19. SCOGGAN, H.J. 1956. Flora of Manitoba. University Extension Press, Saskatoon, SK. National Museum of Canada, Ottawa, ON.

11. JACOBSEN, S.-E., A. MUJICA, and C.R. 20. SMITH, B.D. 1985. The role of Chenopodium JENSEN. 2003. The resistance of Quinoa as a domesticate in pre-maize garden systems of (Chenopodium quinoa) to adverse abiotic factors. the eastern United States. Southeastern Food Reviews International 19:99-109. Archaeology 4:51-72.

12. KERSHAW, L., J. GOULD, D. JOHNSON, 21. STOKES, P., and P. ROWLEY-CONWY. and J. LANCASTER. 2003. Rare vascular plants 2002. Iron age cultigen? Experimental return rates of Alberta. University of Alberta Press, Edmonton, for fat hen (Chenopodium album). Environmental AB. Archaeology 7:95-100.

13. LARCHER, W. 1973. Physiological Plant 22. STUART, M. 1979. The Encyclopaedia of Ecology. Springer-Verlag, New York. Herbs and Herbalism. Orbis Publishing, London, U.K. 14. LOOMAN, J., and K.F. BEST. 1979. Budd’s Flora of the Canadian Prairie Provinces. Canadian 23. VAN WYK, B. 2005. Food Plants of the World. Government Publishing Center, Supply and Timber Press. Portland, OR. Services Canada, Hull, GU. 24. WELSH, S.L., C.W. CROMPTON, and S.E. 15. MOSS, E.H. 1983. Flora of Alberta (2ndedition CLEMENTS. 2003. Chenopodiaceae. In Flora of by J.G. Packer). University of Toronto Press, North America, volume 4 (Flora of North America Toronto, ON. Editorial Committee, eds.). Oxford University Press, New York, NY. pp. 258-404. 16. ROBSON, D.B. 1999. Reasons for prairie plant rarity. In Proc. of the 5th Prairie Conservation 25. WICKENS, G.E. 2004. Economic Botany: and Endangered Species Conference (J. Thorpe, Principles and Practices. Springer, New York, NY. T.A. Steeves, and M. Gollop, eds.). Prov. Museum of Alberta, Edmonton, AB.

BEACHCOMBER

Aturnstone overturns beach stones with crowbar bill his tool to mine for food. Crustacea he eats and mollusks small steeped well in brine, then waddles on on orange legs along the pebble-strewn shoreline.

- Victor C. Friesen

66 (2) June 2008 95