Species: Chenopodium incanum (S. Wats.) Heller

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Chenopodium incanum (S. Wats.) Heller

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TAXONOMY

Family:

Chenopodiaceae

Genus:

Chenopodium

Species Synonyms:

none

Common Names:

mealy goosefoot
hoary goosefoot

DISTRIBUTION

Canada:

southeastern Alberta – southwestern Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan:

southwestern Saskatchewan; Merryflat – Saskatoon

Ecoregion:

Cypress Upland, Mixed Grassland, Moist Mixed Grassland

HABITAT

Saskatchewan:

open, clayey grasslands and barrens

RARITY STATUS

Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):

Threatened

Nature Conservancy Status:

G5 S1

Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:

None

COSEWIC Status:

None

Chenopodium incanum is threatened in Saskatchewan because it is extremely rare and somewhat regionally restricted.

SPECIES DESCRIPTION

Height:

< 25 cm

Roots:

taproot slender

Stems:

annual, erect or ascending, often branched from base, densely farinose throughout, striate

Leaves:

alternate, petiolate, blade 7 – 15 mm long, about as wide as long, lower leaves deltoid to rhombic, light green, farinose, basal teeth sharp

Inflorescence:

glomerules congested into spikes, then in terminal or axillary panicles

Flowers:

sepals 5, densely to moderately farinose; corolla 0, stamens 5; stigmas 2

Fruits:

perianth covering seeds at maturity; pericarp appearing smooth, non-adherent; seeds <1.5 mm, horizontal, black, smooth, shining

CHENOPODIUM KEY FOR SPECIES FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN

1 Flowers in globose heads (then in spikes); calyx fleshy and bright red in fruit, appearing berry-like	C. capitatum
1 Flowers in glomerules (then in spikes); calyx not fleshy and bright red in fruit, not appearing berry-like	2

2 Sepals 3; fruits vertical and occasionally horizontal in the same inflorescence	3
2 Sepals 5; fruits horizontal	4

3 Leaves densely white farinose beneath, 2 – 3 cm long; calyx greenish; plants of saline soil	C. glaucum var. salinum
3 Leaves glabrous or nearly so beneath, 3 – 10 cm long; calyx becoming reddish with age; plants of lakeshores and dried sloughs	C. rubrum

4 Leaves with one vein from base	5
4 Leaves with three or more veins from base	6

5 Plants nearly glabrous; pericarp easily separated from seed	C. subglabrum
5 Plants farinose; pericarp attached to seed	C. leptophyllum

6 Leaves linear to narrowly lanceolate, 1 – 5 times longer than wide, < 1.5 cm wide	7
6 Leaves rhombic to broadly lanceolate, 1 – 3 times longer than wide, usually > 1.5 cm wide	11

7 Calyx lobes covering seed at maturity	C. dessicatum
7 Calyx lobes not covering seed at maturity	8

8 Fruit an achene, pericarp attached	9
8 Fruit a utricle, pericarp separable	10

9 Leaves three times longer than broad or longer, elliptic to narrowly lanceolate	C. hians
9 Leaves 2 – 3 times longer than broad or less, narrowly oblong to rhombic	C. strictum var. glaucum

10 Primary leaves with one or two lobes or teeth above base; plants erect	C. pratericola
10 Primary leaves entire or with basal lobes; plants open and branched	C. atrovirens

11 Leaves bright green, base truncate to cordate; seeds larger than 1.5 mm	C. simplex
11 Leaves light green, at least below, base not truncate or cordate; seeds smaller than 1.5 mm	12

12 Fruits appearing honey-combed on surface	13
12 Fruits appearing smooth on surface	14

13 Pericarp white at maturity; odour of dead fish	C. watsonii
13 Pericarp translucent at maturity; no odour of dead fish	C. berlandieri

14 Lower leaves toothed above base, never entire or with only basal lobes or teeth	C. album
14 Lower leaves entire above base, may have 1 or 2 lobes or teeth at base	15

15 Calyx covering fruit at maturity; fruits approximately 1 mm; plants usually less than 50 cm tall; densely farinose throughout	C. incanum
15 Calyx not covering fruit at maturity; fruits slightly larger than 1 mm (to 1.5 mm); plants commonly over 50 cm tall at full maturity; farinose on upper surface of leaves and in inflorescence	C. fremontii var. fremontii