Question: Thanks for posting my sighting of Chenopodium berlandieri and my close-up photo of the fruit. Here is another photo of …
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Question
Thanks for posting my sighting of Chenopodium berlandieri and my close-up photo of the fruit. Here is another photo of a part of the inflorescence of the same individual. (Harrington, Maine) Is this species ever used for food? I read (Harper's May 2014) the species is thought to be the closest wild relative of Chenopodium quinoa grown for food in the Andes. One theory is that migrating birds long ago spread ancestors of C. berlandieri from North America into Central and South America.
Answer
Thokozile, Chenopodium berlandieri has been used for food by the eastern indigenous. In fact, it is one of the four first cultivated plants in eastern North America (sunflower, marsh-elder, pitseed goosefoot, and container gourd). Given your location, I'm assuming you are finding Chenopodium berlandieri var. macrocalycium (which is fairly rare in Maine, I've seen it very few times). Best wishes.
