Genus: Chenopodium — goosefoot

You can identify many species in flower, but some require mature fruits for determination. Size, orientation, surface patterns, and nature of the pericarp (e.g., adherent, loose) are all very important characters of the fruits. Most species have an adherent pericarp on the lustrous, often black, seed; sometimes the shiny surface of the seed is visible in places where the pericarp has worn off. Other species have a pericarp that loosens, splits, and detaches. Reference: Wahl (1954).

Family

Amaranthaceae (amaranth and goosefoot family)

This genus’s species in New England

• Chenopodium album
• Chenopodium berlandieri
• Chenopodium bonus-henricus
• Chenopodium capitatum
• Chenopodium foggii
• Chenopodium foliosum
• Chenopodium glaucum
• Chenopodium leptophyllum
• Chenopodium murale
• Chenopodium polyspermum
• Chenopodium pratericola
• Chenopodium rubrum
• Chenopodium simplex
• Chenopodium standleyanum
• Chenopodium strictum
• Chenopodium urbicum

Visit this genus in the Dichotomous Key

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