Blitum L., Sp. Pl.: 4 (1753)

Sukhorukov, Alexander P., Liu, Pei-Liang & Kushunina, Maria, 2019, Taxonomic revision of Chenopodiaceae in Himalaya and Tibet, PhytoKeys 116, pp. 1-141 : 46-47

6. Blitum L., Sp. Pl.: 4 (1753)

Blitum L., Sp. Pl.: 4 (1753). Lectotype (designated by Britton and Brown 1913): Blitum capitatum L.

= Morocarpus Boehmer in Ludwig, Def. Gen. Pl., ed. 3: 385 (1760);

= Anserina Dumort., Fl. Belg.: 21 (1827); Type: Anserina bonus-henricus (L.) Dumort. (≡ Blitum bonus-henricus (L.) Reichenb.).

= Monolepis Schrad., Ind. Sem. Hort. Gotting.: 4 (1830). Type: Monolepis trifida Schrad., Ind. Sem. Hort. Gotting.: 4 (1830) = Monolepis nuttalliana (Schult.) Green;

= Agathophytum Moq., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot., ser. 2(1): 291 (1834). Type: Agathophytum bonus-henricus (L.) Moq. (≡ Blitum bonus-henricus );

= Scleroblitum Ulbr. in Engler & Harms, Nat. Pflanzenfam., ed. 2, 16c: 495 (1934). Type: Scleroblitum atriplicinum (F.Muell.) Ulbr. (≡ Blitum atriplicinum F.Muell.).

Description.

Annual or perennial herbs, glabrous or covered with bladder hairs (scattered glandular hairs may be present). Leaves long-petiolate with triangular, hastate or rhombic blades; basal leaves often in a rosette. Inflorescences leafy or aphyllous in the upper part. Flowers in dense glomerules, bisexual or sometimes unisexual. Perianth of 1-5 free or insignificantly concrescent segments or perianth reduced, green, but sometimes fleshy and red or indurated in the fruiting stage. Stamens 1-5, usually equalling the perianth segments. Stigmas 2-3. Fruits with 1-2(3)-layered, smooth or mamillate pericarp, usually tightly adjoining the seed coat. Seed round or ovoid, red or reddish-black, without keel or with 2 blunt keels. Seed surface smooth or alveolate; testa cells without stalactites, sometimes with hair-like outgrowths. Seed embryo horizontally or vertically orientated or sometimes both embryo positions present on an individual (spatial heterospermy).

Approximately 14 species worldwide.