The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

wormseed

epazote, Mexican-tea, worm-seed

Habit Plants annual. Plants annual.
Stems

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

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

Leaves

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).

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).

Inflorescences

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.

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.

Flowers

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.

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.

Achenes

ovoid;

pericarp nonadherent, smooth, glandular.

ovoid;

pericarp nonadherent, rugose to smooth.

Seeds

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

seed coat smooth.

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

seed coat rugose to smooth.

Dysphania anthelmintica

Dysphania ambrosioides

Phenology Fruiting summer–fall. Fruiting summer–fall.
Habitat Sand dunes, pinelands, meadows, roadsides, and other waste areas River bottoms, dry lake beds, flower beds, waste areas
Elevation 0-1100 m (0-3600 ft) 0-700 m (0-2300 ft)
Distribution
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
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]
Discussion

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.)

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.)

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