CHENOPODIACEAE - Goosefoot Family
Herbs or shrubs, often succulent
Leaves opposite or alternate, simple, entire, toothed or lobed
Flowers bisexual or unisexual, single or in a range of infls.,
reduced, wind-pollinated. Plants with unisexual flowers monoecious or
dioecious
Fruit an indehiscent nutlet
Seed lenticular with embryo
surrounding endosperm
100 genera, 1500 species
The Chenopodiaceae is divided into four subfamilies using a
combination of vegetative and reproductive characters. It may also
overlap to some extent with the Amaranthaceae.
Economic uses:
Beta
(beets and Swiss chard) beet juice
pigments are betalains
Spinacia oleracea (spinach) - the Popeye cartoons created
the impression that consuming spinach would result in increased
strength. While the leaves do contain large amounts of iron, it is in a
form that is not readily absorbed so maybe Bluto should have won all
those fights.
Chenopodium quinoa
(grain) - grain is
high in amino acids and was an important crop in the Andes but it was
largely replaced by plants brought in by Europeans.
Medicinal uses - Chenopodium album leaves used for
stomachaches, diarrhea, poultice for burns. Chenopodium
ambrosoides produces essential oils used against intestinal
parasites (vermifuge). The oil from this plant is volatile and very
toxic, exposure either by direct contact with the plant or breathing
the oils is best avoided.