GENUS 2. 



GOOSEFOOT FAMILY. 



2. ROUBIEVA Moq. Ann. Sci. Nat. (II.) i: 292. 1834. 



A perennial herb, glandular-pubescent, strong-scented, prostrate, and diffusely branched, 

 with narrow small short-petioled deeply pinnatifid leaves. Flowers small, green, perfect, or 

 pistillate, solitary, or in small axillary clusters. Calyx urn-shaped, 3-5-toothed, narrowed 

 at the throat, in fruit becoming obovoid, strongly reticulated and closed. Stamens 5. 

 Styles 3, exserted. Wall of the pericarp thin, glandular. Seed vertical. Embryo a com- 

 plete ring in the mealy endosperm. [Name in honor of G. J. Roubieu, French botanist.] 



A monotypic genus of South America, often included in Chenopodium. 



i. Roubieva multifida (L.) Moq. Cut- 

 leaved Goosefoot. Fig. 1692. 



Chenopodium multifidiim L. Sp. PI. 220. 1753. 



Roubieva muliifida Moq. Ann. Sci. Nat. (II.) I : 293. 

 pi. 10. 1834. 



Usually much branched, very leafy, prostrate, 

 or the branches ascending, 6'-i8' long. Leaves 

 lanceolate or linear-lanceolate or linear-oblong 

 in outline, i'-ii' long, ii"-4" wide, deeply pin- 

 natifid into linear-oblong acute entire or toothed 

 lobes; flowers 1-5- together in the axils, sessile, 

 less than \" broad, some perfect, some pistillate; 

 fruiting calyx obovoid, obtuse, 3-nerved and 

 strongly reticulate-veined, i" thick; utricle com- 

 pressed. 



In waste places and ballast, southern New York 

 to Virginia. Naturalized or adventive from tropi- 

 cal America. June-Sept. 



3. BLITUM L. Sp. PI. 2. 1753. 



Annual glabrous or sparingly pubescent succulent branching herbs, with alternate has- 

 tate petioled rather light green leaves. Flowers small, green, or reddish, aggregated in glo- 

 bose axillary sessile heads, or the upper heads forming an interrupted spike. Calyx 2-5- 

 lobed, becoming pulpy and bright red in fruit. Stamens 1-5. Pericarp separating from 

 the seed. Seed vertical, shining. Embryo a complete ring in the mealy endosperm. [The 

 classical name of orache.] 



One or perhaps two species, natives of North America and Europe, the following the ge- 

 neric type. 



i. Blitum capitatum L. Strawberry Elite or Spinach. Fig. 1693. 



Blitum capitatum L. Sp. PI. 2. 1753- 

 Chenopodium capitatum Aschers. Fl. Brand. 572. 1864. 



Stem ascending, erect, or prostrate, 6'-2 long, 

 commonly much branched, the branches ascending. 

 Leaves usually longer than wide, iJ'-3' long, rather 

 thin, sinuate-dentate, or the upper or sometimes all . 

 of them entire, cordate or reniform, the apex and 

 basal lobes acute or acuminate; lower petioles often 

 longer than the blades; heads sessile in the axils 

 and on the sides of the upper part of the stem or 

 branches, 2"-^" in diameter in flower, becoming 

 bright red and 5"-8" in diameter in fruit, and then 

 somewhat resembling strawberries; seed com- 

 pressed, ovate, enclosed by the calyx, or when quite 

 mature slightly exserted. 



In dry soil, Nova Scotia to Alaska, south to New 

 Jersey, Illinois, Minnesota, in the Rocky Mountains 

 to Colorado and Utah and to Nevada. Also in Europe. 

 Indian paint. Indian strawberry. June-Aug. 



