Chenopodium rubrum L.   Chenopodiaceae (Goosefoot Family) Europe   Red Goosefoot   Alkali Goosefoot

                                       June Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Erect glabrous annual 2-6 dm. high, simple or branched with stout reddish stems; main lvs. deltoid-or rhombic-ovate, 3-8 cm. long sinuate-dentate, cuneate at base; petioles ca. as long; fls. in short axillary leafy spikes, crowded; calyx 3-5 lobed, fleshy, not keeled; pericarp green; seed usually vertical, 0.6-0.8 mm. long, with rounded margin.

Habitat:  Occasional in low rather saline places, widely scattered in the state; to the Atlantic coast.  July-Oct.

Name:  See other chenopods for the origin of the genus name.  Latin, rubeo, to be red.  (Jaeger 224).

General:  Occasional in the study area.  Observation of this plant shows that the lvs. of the infl. grow longer as the seeds mature and all of the lvs. become thicker as they get older.  The leaves also become lighter in color and have a reddish cast as they become mature.  Photographed in Big Canyon next to Back Bay Dr. and in the Santa Ana Heights Flats below Jamboree Road.  (my comments).   Native of Europe.   (Munz, Flora So. Calif. 364).  The 1993 Jepson Manual states that the plant is native, with some forms possibly introduced?  (Hickman, Ed. 510).  Roberts sticks with the non-native origin.  (Roberts 19).

Text Ref:  Hickman, Ed. 510; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 364; Robbins et al. 153; Roberts 19.

Photo Ref:  June-July 87 # 9,10,11; July-Aug 87 # 8,9,10,11,17.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by F. Roberts.

First Found:  July 1987.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 306.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 3/4/05.

                                      July Photo                                                                    July Photo