576 



CHEXOPODIACEAE. 



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

 leaved Goosefoot. Roubieva. 

 (Fig. 1374.) 



Chenopodium multifidum L. Sp. PI. 220. 1753. 



Ronbieva multifida Moq. Ann. Sci. Nat. (II.) i: 

 293. //. w. 1834. 



Usually much branched, very leafy, pros- 

 trate, or the branches ascending, 6'-i8 / long. 

 Leaves lanceolate or linear-lanceolate or linear- 

 oblong in outline, ^'-i^'long, \W-4,' f wide, 

 deeply pinnatifid into linear-oblong acute en- 

 tire or toothed lobes; flowers 1-5 together in 

 the axils, sessile, less than l /i f ' broad, some 

 perfect, some pistillate; fruiting calyx obovoid, 

 obtuse, 3-nerved and strongly reticulate-veined, 

 %" thick; utricle compressed. 



In waste places and ballast, southern New York 

 to Virginia. Naturalized oradventive 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. 



i. Blitum capitatum L,. Strawberry Elite. (Fig. 1375.) 



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

 Chettopodium capitatum Aschers. Fl. Brand. 572. 1864. 



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

 commonly much branched, the branches ascend- 

 ing. Leaves usually longer than wide, i/^ / -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 that the blades; heads 

 sessile in the axils and on the sides of the upper 

 part of the stem or branches, 2 // ~3 // in diameter 

 in flower, becoming bright red and 5 // -8 // in di- 

 ameter in fruit, and then somewhat resembling 

 strawberries; seed compressed, 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. 

 June-Aug. 



4. CYCLOLOMA Moq. Enum. Chenop. 17. 1840. 



An annual diffusely branched glabrous or cobwebby-pubescent herb, with alternate peti- 

 oled irregularly toothed leaves,' and small sessile bractless flowers in panicled interrupted 

 spikes. Calyx 5-lobed, the lobes keeled in flower, a thin horizontal irregularly dentate wing 

 developing below them in fruit. Stamens 5. Styles 2-3. Fruit (except its summit ) enclosed 

 by the calyx, depressed. Seed horizontal; embryo a complete ring in the mealy endosperm. 

 [Greek, circle-border, alluding to the calyx-wing.] 



A monotypic genus of north central North America. 



