CHENOPODIACEAE

GOOSEFOOT FAMILY

Dieter H. Wilken, except as specified

Annual to tree, sometimes monoecious or dioecious, glandular or with bead-like hairs that collapse with age, becoming scaly or powdery
Stem often fleshy
Leaves generally alternate, entire to lobed; veins generally pinnate
Inflorescence: raceme, spike, catkin-like, or spheric cluster, or flower 1; bracts 0–few
Flower: sepals 1–5, often 0 in pistillate flowers, free or fused, generally persistent in fruit; petals 0; stamens 0–5; ovary generally superior, chamber 1, ovule 1, styles 1–3
Fruit: generally utricle
Seed 1, vertical (fruit compressed side-to-side) or horizontal (fruit compressed top-to-bottom)
Genera in family: 100 genera, 1300 species: worldwide, especially deserts, saline or alkaline soils; some cultivated for food (Beta , beets, chard; Chenopodium , quinoa)
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated in expanded Amaranthaceae

SUAEDA

SEA-BLITE, SEEPWEED

Wayne R. Ferren, Jr.

Annual, perennial herb, shrubs, glabrous to hairy
Leaves generally alternate; blade entire, sometimes cylindric or upper surface flat, fleshy, generally glaucous, tip acute or pointed
Inflorescence: cyme; clusters sessile, generally arrayed in compound spikes; bracts leaf-like or reduced; bractlets subtending flowers 1–3, minute, membranous; flowers 1–12
Flower generally bisexual; calyx radial or bilateral, lobes 5, rounded, hooded, keeled, horned, or wing-margined; ovary ± lenticular, rounded, conic or with a neck-like extension, stigmas 2–3(5)
Fruit: utricle, enclosed in calyx
Seed horizontal or vertical, lenticular or flat, of 2 kinds in some species
Species in genus: 115 species: worldwide, saline and alkaline soils
Etymology: (ancient Arabic name)
Reference: [Ferren & Whitmore 1983 Madroño 30:181–190]
Horticultural information: STBL.

Native

S. esteroa Ferren & S.A. Whitmore

ESTUARY SEA-BLITE

Perennial or subshrub 1–6 dm, glabrous, generally glaucous
Stem decumbent to erect; branches generally ascending
Leaves ascending, sessile; upper < 60 mm, linear-lanceolate, upper surface flat, overlapping, green or reddish, generally glaucous; lower = mid-stem but generally withered, straw-colored, persistent or breaking apart into fibers
Inflorescence: clusters confined to upper stems; flowers generally 3–5 per cluster; bracts < leaves
Flower bilateral, 1.5–3 mm; calyx lobes hooded and keeled; ovary rounded to lenticular, stigmas 2–3, linear, glabrous
Seed horizontal; biconvex form 1–1.2 mm, shiny, black or reddish; flat form 1.2–2 mm, dull, brown
Ecology: UNCOMMON. Coastal salt marshes
Elevation: < 5 m.
Bioregional distribution: South Coast
Distribution outside California: n Mexico