Chenopodium watsonii

Stems erect or ascending to decumbent, branched from base, 1-4.5 dm, sparsely to densely farinose. Leaves aromatic; petiole 0.4-1.4 cm; blade broadly rounded-triangular to rounded-rhombic or ovate, 1-2.6 × 0.5-2.9 cm, base rounded or subtruncate or broadly cuneate, margins entire or proximal leaves with 1-2 teeth on each side at base, apex rounded to obtuse or acute or apiculate, densely farinose on both surfaces. Inflorescences glomerules in paniculate spikes, 14-24 × 2-3 cm, maturing irregularly; bracts leaflike. Flowers: perianth segments 5, connate into 0.3 mm tube; lobes ovate, keeled, 1-1.4 × 0.9-1.2 mm, apex acute to obtuse, farinose, enclosing fruit at maturity; stamens 5; stigmas 2. Achenes ovoid; pericarp adherent, usually strongly whitened, honeycombed. Seeds subglobose, 0.9-1.3 mm diam., margins obtuse; seed coat whitened, coarsely honeycombed. 2n = 18.

Fruiting late summer-fall. Woods and shrublands of various types, badlands, erosion breaks in prairies, volcanic rocks, pinyon and juniper, sagebrush, disturbed ground, old mine areas, roadsides; 600-3200 m; Alta., Sask.; Ariz., Calif., Colo., Kans., Mont., N.Mex., S.Dak., Utah, Wyo.

FNA 2003, Martin and Hutchins 1980, Kearney and Peebles 1969

Duration: Annual Nativity: Native Lifeform: Forb/Herb General: Much branched annual, stems densely farinose, strongly scented, erect or ascending, 10-45 cm tall. Leaves: Blades 10-40 mm long, nearly as wide as long, broadly rounded-deltoid to rhombic or broadly ovate, rounded or obtuse and short-apiculate at the apex, rounded to truncate or broadly cuneate at the base, entire, sometimes lower bearing 1 or 2 rounded teeth on each side, farinose on both sides, petioles shorter than to as long as blades. Flowers: Glomerules in paniculate spikes, 14-24 cm long by 2-3 cm wide; leaflike bracts; 5 perianth segments, connate into 0.3 mm tube, lobes ovate, enclosing fruit at maturity. Fruits: Achenes ovoid, pericarp adherent, strongly whitened, honeycombed, seeds subglobose, 0.9-1.3 mm diameter. Ecology: Found on dry soils from 1,000-7,000 ft (305-2134 m); flowers May-September. Notes: Distinguished by the entire leaves with only 1-2 teeth near base, with subglobose seeds, pericarp slightly whitened. Ethnobotany: The seeds were eaten. Etymology: Chenopodium means goose foot, while watsonii is named for Sereno Watson (1826-1892) an assistant to Asa Gray at Harvard. Synonyms: Chenopodium dacoticum, Chenopodium glabrescens, Chenopodiumolidum Editor: SBuckley, 2010