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nettle-leaf goosefoot, sowbane

Stems

erect, branched, 1–6(–10) dm, glabrous (to sparsely farinose when young);

proximal branches decumbent.

Leaves

nonaromatic;

petiole 1–2.5 cm;

blade triangular, ovate, or rhombic-ovate, 0.8–4(–8) × 0.4–3(–5) cm, base cuneate to rounded, margins irregularly dentate, apex acute to acuminate, glabrous (rarely indistinctly farinose when young).

Inflorescences

glomerules in terminal and lateral panicles, 6–7 × 4–5 cm;

glomerules subglobose, 2–4 mm diam., or some flowers not in glomerules;

bracts absent.

Flowers

perianth segments 5, distinct nearly to base;

lobes ovate, 0.5–0.8 × 0.6–0.7 mm, apex acute to obtuse, keeled abaxially, farinose, covering fruit at maturity;

stamens 5;

stigmas 2, 0.2 mm.

Achenes

depressed-ovoid;

pericarp adherent, pustulate, becoming smooth with maturity.

Seeds

lenticular, round, 1–1.5 mm diam.;

seed coat black, minutely rugose to ± smooth.

2n

= 18.

Chenopodium murale

Phenology Fruiting fall.
Habitat Waste places, roadsides, clay mounds, open oak woods, prairies, rocky hillsides, along railways
Elevation 0-2000 m (0-6600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AR; AZ; CA; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IL; IN; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MO; NC; NJ; NV; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WI; WV; BC; NB; ON; QC; SK; native to Europe; Asia; n Africa [Introduced in North America; introduced nearly worldwide, mostly in subtropics and warm-temperate regions]
[WildflowerSearch map]
Discussion

Chenopodium murale is distinctive and is one of the more common species of the genus in the world, especially in tropical and subtropical regions.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 4, p. 287.
Parent taxa Chenopodiaceae > Chenopodium > subg. Chenopodium > sect. Chenopodium > subsect. Undata
Sibling taxa
C. albescens, C. album, C. atrovirens, C. berlandieri, C. bonus-henricus, C. californicum, C. capitatum, C. chenopodioides, C. cycloides, C. desiccatum, C. ficifolium, C. foggii, C. foliosum, C. fremontii, C. glaucum, C. hians, C. incanum, C. leptophyllum, C. macrospermum, C. neomexicanum, C. nevadense, C. opulifolium, C. pallescens, C. polyspermum, C. pratericola, C. rubrum, C. simplex, C. standleyanum, C. strictum, C. subglabrum, C. urbicum, C. vulvaria, C. watsonii
Name authority Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 219. (1753)
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