Chenopodium striatiforme Murr

Jonsell, B., Karlsson, 2005, Chenopodiaceae - Fumariaceae (Chenopodium), Flora Nordica 2, pp. 4-31 : 23

17. Chenopodium striatiforme Murr

Figs 3F, I, 11A

Murr, Deutsche Bot. Monatsschr. 19: 51 (1901).

- C. strictum subsp. striatiforme (Murr) Uotila (1977) . - Described from C Europe.

C. album subsp. microphyllum (Boenn.) Sterner (1938) .

- C. strictum subsp. microphyllum (Boenn.) M. Jorg. (1973) .

F rannikkosavikka. S östersjömålla.

Literature. Uotila 1977a.

Therophyte (summer-annual). 10-40(-100) cm; stem green-striped or red-striped, rarely prominently red, erect to ascending, usually richly branched in the basal part; branches procumbent to ascending. Leaves with petiole 1/2-2/3 the length of the blade; blade bluish green especially below, rhombic to trullate, 2-2.5 (-3.5) cm, slightly more than twice as long as wide; base cuneate, apex acute to obtuse; margin dentate to entire, often reddish. Bracts with elliptic to lanceolate blade; margin entire.

Inflorescences spike-like; branches elongated or short. Tepals 5, usually connate at base only, keeled, with wide membranous margin and obtuse apex. Stamens 5. Stigmas 2, 0.4-0.8 mm. Nut falling with or without the perianth; pericarp easily detached. Seed horizontal, broadly ovate in outline (length/width ratio 1.1), 1.1-1.2 mm; edge slightly acute; seed-coat black, glossy, smooth or with faint radial striae. - Late summer. [2n=36]

Distribution. A ballast and grain alien, locally established in some coastal areas; nowadays rarely reported and possibly partly disappeared but, on the other hand, certainly much overlooked. - D Sjæ København 1939, 1969, Brn Blykobbe 1929, Rønne 1865. N Ak Oslo 1882, 1906. S Öl and Gtl scattered (but in Gtl not seen since the 1950's); elsewhere rare and ± casual: Sk Malmö 1922, Kristianstad 1921, 1925, Trolle-Ljungby 1985, Västra Karup 1950, Ahus several records 1921-90, Bl Augerum 1932, Karlskrona several records 1896-1944, Nättraby 1901, Kim Högsby 1961, Kalmar 1968, 1969, 1988, Västervik 1875, 1961, Ög Norrköping 1892, Upl Järfälla 1915, Sollentuna 1925, Älvkarleby 1894, Mpd Timrå 1903. F casual in ports; VTurku 1895, £/Helsinki 1878, 1922, EK Kotka 1964, KP Kokkola 1948, OP Oulu 1950.

Chenopodium striatiforme

SE and eastern C Europe; the Baltic Sea area.

Habitat. Seashores, fields and railway areas on sandy soil; tips, ports, mills and factories.

Taxonomy. C. striatiforme was earlier regarded as an infraspecific taxon, first under C. album (e.g. Aellen 1960-61) and later under C. strictum ( Jorgensen 1973, Uotila 1977a) . It is closer to C. strictum , but in some respects it is intermediate between C. album and C. strictum . In cultivation experiments it proved very uniform and clearly different from C. strictum , and species rank seems more suitable.

Similar species. Chenopodium striatiforme is similar to C. album (15), C. pratericola (12) and C. strictum (18).