Chenopodium chenopodioides (L.) Aellen

Jonsell, B., Karlsson, 2005, Chenopodiaceae - Fumariaceae (Chenopodium), Flora Nordica 2, pp. 4-31 : 10-11

4. Chenopodium chenopodioides (L.) Aellen

Figs 2D, 5B

Aelien, Ostenia: 98 (1933).

- Blitum chenopodioides L. ,

Mant. pl.: 170 (1771).

- Type: [Russia, Dagestan] Kizlyar, leg. C. Steven (H) neotype, sei. by Uotila, Ann. Bot. Fenn. 38: 95 (2001).

C. botryodes Sm. (1811) .

C. crassifolium auct., non Homem. (1813).

D Drue-Gåsefod. N druemelde. S druvmålla.

Literature. Aellen 1927.

Therophyte (summer-annual). 5-30(-50) cm; almost glabrous (young leaves sometimes farinose). Stem subangular to angular, yellowish green, often fairly soft, erect to prostrate, branched especially near the base; lower branches subopposite. Leaves succulent; petiole slightly shorter than the blade (in the lowermost leaves sometimes longer than the blade); blade broadly triangular or broadly ovate to rhombic, (1.2-) 2-6 (-8) x (1-) 1.5-6 cm, often as wide as long; margin subentire or with a few coarse, irregular teeth. Bracts lanceolate, slightly dentate to entire.

Inflorescence composed of short, spike- or paniclelike partial inflorescences which are subtended by bracts almost to the top; glomerules small, dense. Flowers dimorphic. Terminal flowers bisexual; stamens 5; tepals 5, connate halfway or less, almost flat, with broad membranous margin and obtuse apex. Lateral flowers bisexual or female; stamens 0-3; tepals 3-5, connate to near apex and forming a tight sac around the nut. Stigmas 2,0.1 mm. Nut falling with the perianth; pericarp not adherent to the seed. Seed horizontal in terminal flowers, vertical in lateral flowers; horizontal seeds orbicular in outline, 0.8-0.9 mm, vertical ones broadly ovate in outline, 0.6-0.8 mm; edge rounded; seed-coat reddish brown, glossy, almost smooth to finely reticulate especially in the centre of the faces. - Late summer.

[2n=18]

Distribution. Nem. - D common along Storebælt and Smålandshavet (the sea between Langeland, Lolland and Sjælland), along the southern and western coasts of Fyn, and on the shores of Ærø, Langeland and islands of Lillebælt; ØJy Kolding Fjord 1847, Endelave and Samsø and SJy Als and �r�; in the northeast Sjce Roskilde Fjord ( Eskildsø 1954) and Amager, in the southeast LFM Bøtø. S probably casual; Sk Vellinge 1821,0/ Vickleby 1871. - A report from S Sk Malmö (Weimarck 1963) is very probably an error for C. botrys .

Inland salt marshes of C and SW Asia, E, C and W Europe and N Africa; coasts of Europe north to Denmark; also North America (not native).

Habitat. Sheltered seashores, on bare, muddy to clayey soil in the middle geolittoral belt, usually in salt pans, creeks and in the edges of Schoenoplectus maritimus stands.

Variation. Aellen (1927), who used the name C. crassifolium for this species, divided it into two varieties, var. lengyelianum Aellen (= var. crassifolium ) and var. degenianum Aellen . Var. lengyelianum is erect, richly branched and large-leaved; the leaf-blades are triangular, with acute apex and irregularly dentate margin; the inflorescence is well-delimited, terminal, and panicle-like. Var. degenianum is ± prostrate, branched at the base only and small-leaved; the leaf-blades are broadly ovate to triangular, with obtuse apex and entire or only distantly dentate margin; the inflorescence is composed of fairly small partial inflorescences in the axils of well-developed leaves. Both types of plants occur in the whole area of the species, usually in the same localities. The Danish seashore plants are fairly uniform, resembling var. lengyelianum in their ± erect habit but the leaf-blades are usually subentire. Aellen (1927) cited material from D under var. lengyelianum only.

Similar taxa. Chenopodium chenopodioides without fruits may be difficult to distinguish. Small specimens are similar to C. rubrum (5), erect and unbranched ones to C. urbicum (7).