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epazote, Mexican-tea, worm-seed

wormseed

Habit Plants annual. Plants annual.
Stems

erect to ascending, much-branched, 3–10(–15) dm, ± glandular-pubescent.

erect to ascending, branched, 3.7–7.5(–10) dm, ± glandular-pubescent, puberulent, or glabrate.

Leaves

aromatic, distal leaves sessile;

petiole to 18 mm;

blade ovate to oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate, proximal ones mostly lanceolate, 2–8(–12) × 0.5–4(–5.5) cm, base cuneate, margins entire, dentate, or laciniate, apex obtuse to attenuate, copiously gland-dotted (rarely glabrous).

malodorous, distal leaves sessile;

petiole 1.4 mm;

blade narrowly ovate to lanceolate, 5–7 × 1.5–3 cm, base cuneate, margins dentate with large, widely spaced teeth, apex acute, gland-dotted (rarely nearly glabrous).

Inflorescences

lateral spikes, 3–7 cm;

glomerules globose, 1.5–2.3 mm diam.;

bracts leaflike, lanceolate, oblanceolate, spatulate, or linear, 0.3–2.5 cm, apex obtuse, acute, or attenuate.

terminal and lateral spikes or panicles, 3–8 cm;

glomerules globose, 2.5–3.3 mm diam.;

bracts absent or leaflike, linear, to 2.2 mm, apex acute.

Flowers

perianth segments 4–5, connate for ca. 1/2 their length, distinct portion ovate, rounded abaxially, 0.7–1 mm, apex obtuse, glandular-pubescent, covering seed at maturity;

stamens 4–5;

stigmas 3.

perianth segments 5, connate for ca. 1/2 their length, distinct portion ovate, 0.7 mm, apex obtuse, rounded abaxially, glabrous, covering fruit at maturity;

stamens 5;

stigmas 3.

Seeds

horizontal or vertical, reddish brown, ovoid, 0.6–1 × 0.4–0.5 mm;

seed coat rugose to smooth.

horizontal or vertical, reddish brown, ovoid, 0.6–0.8 × 0.8–1 mm;

seed coat smooth.

Achenes

ovoid;

pericarp nonadherent, rugose to smooth.

ovoid;

pericarp nonadherent, smooth, glandular.

Dysphania ambrosioides

Dysphania anthelmintica

Phenology Fruiting summer–fall. Fruiting summer–fall.
Habitat River bottoms, dry lake beds, flower beds, waste areas Sand dunes, pinelands, meadows, roadsides, and other waste areas
Elevation 0-700 m [0-2300 ft] 0-1100 m [0-3600 ft]
Distribution
map from FNA
AL; AR; AZ; CA; CT; DC; DE; FL; GA; IA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; ME; MI; MO; MS; NC; NE; NH; NJ; NM; NY; OH; OK; OR; PA; RI; SC; SD; TN; TX; UT; VA; VT; WA; WI; WV; ON; QC; native to North America and South America; widely naturalized throughout the tropics and warm-temperate regions of the world
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
map from FNA
AL; AR; CA; DE; FL; GA; IL; IN; KS; KY; LA; MA; MD; MO; MS; NC; NJ; NY; OH; OK; PA; SC; TX; VA; WV; Mexico; Central America; West Indies; Bermuda
Discussion

Southern populations of Dysphania ambrosioides are native while those populations in the northern part of the flora area are introduced.

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

Dysphania anthelmintica is cultivated and locally naturalized elsewhere in the world. It is reported to not have leaves (pseudobracts) subtending the glomerules. In fact, it usually has very reduced leaflike bracts that are never longer than the glomerules. This species appears to be the most common representative along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and is probably native to that region.

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

Parent taxa Chenopodiaceae > Dysphania > sect. Adenois Chenopodiaceae > Dysphania > sect. Adenois
Sibling taxa
D. anthelmintica, D. aristata, D. botrys, D. carinata, D. chilensis, D. cristata, D. graveolens, D. multifida, D. pumilio
D. ambrosioides, D. aristata, D. botrys, D. carinata, D. chilensis, D. cristata, D. graveolens, D. multifida, D. pumilio
Synonyms Chenopodium ambrosioides, Chenopodium ambrosioides var. suffruticosum, Teloxys ambrosioides Chenopodium anthelminticum, Chenopodium ambrosioides var. anthelminticum
Name authority (Linnaeus) Mosyakin & Clemants: Ukrayins’k. Bot. Zhurn., n. s. 59: 382. (2002) (Linnaeus) Mosyakin & Clemants: Ukrayins’k. Bot. Zhur n., n. s. 59: 382. (2002)
Source FNA vol. 4, p. 270. Treatment authors: Steven E. Clemants, Sergei L. Mosyakin. FNA vol. 4, p. 270. Treatment authors: Steven E. Clemants, Sergei L. Mosyakin.
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