Chenopodium subglabrum (S. Wats.) A. Nels.
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TAXONOMY
 
Family: Chenopodiaceae
Genus: Chenopodium
 
Species Synonyms: Chenopodium leptophyllum var. subglabrum S. Wats.
Common Names: smooth goosefoot
smooth arid goosefoot
 
DISTRIBUTION
 
Canada: southern Alberta – southwestern Saskatchewan – southwestern Manitoba
Saskatchewan: southwestern Saskatchewan; South Saskatchewan River - Elbow Sandhills – Bridgeford
Ecoregion: Mixed Grassland, Moist Mixed Grassland
 
HABITAT
 
Saskatchewan: active to stabilized sand dune blowouts
Associated species: Achnatherum hymenoides, Calamovilfa longifolia, Elymus canadensis, Helianthus petiolaris, Juniperus horizontalis, Lygodesmia juncea, Psoralidium lanceolatum, Shinnersoseris rostrata, Salix exigua
 
RARITY STATUS
 
Provincial Status According
to Harms (2003):
Threatened
Nature Conservancy Status:
G3G4 N2
Saskatchewan Species at
Risk Status:
Vulnerable
COSEWIC Status:
Special Concern
 
Chenopodium subglabrum is threatened in Saskatchewan because it is rare or uncommon and is regionally restricted. In addition, this species is almost always locally sparse. C. subglabrum grows in a fragile sand dune habitat.
 
SPECIES DESCRIPTION
 
Height: 10 – 50 (80) cm
Roots: taproot slender
Stems: annual, erect or semi-erect, solitary or branched, branches ascending, glabrous
Leaves: alternate, petiolate, 1 – 5 cm long, 1 – 4 mm wide, linear, 1-veined, somewhat fleshy, light green, essentially glabrous
Inflorescence: small, widely-spaced glomerules in open, leafy terminal and axillary panicles
Flowers: sepals 5, glabrous; corolla absent; stamens 5; stigmas 2
Fruits: achenes; calyx lobes largely covering fruit at maturity; pericarp non-adherent; seeds 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