Goosefoot (10)
Goosefoot is a genus of prolific, that is weedy, unattractive individuals. Tiny inconspicuous flowers grow in clusters yielding tens of thousands of seeds per plant. Many of the species are farinose, meaning they have a floury or mealy coating giving them a grayish appearance.
Lamb's Quarters
Chenopodium album
Family:
Amaranth (Amaranthaceae)
AKA:
Photo taken on:
July 25, 2007
Location:
Almont, CO
Life Zones:
Plains to foothills
Habitat:
Disturbed soil, fields
A fast-growing weed that grows to 2 feet with tiny green flowers. Stems may be reddish. Leaves may have a whitish powder on the under-side and are oblong to triangular, broader and rounded at the base making a "goosefoot" shape, common to this genus.
According to Flora of North America this is "... one of the worst weeds and most widespread synanthropic plants on the Earth, in its broad circumscription is also among the most polymorphic plant species." In other words, this is a vary varied species.
Flora of North America reference.
Green Goosefoot
Chenopodium atrovirens
Family:
Amaranth (Amaranthaceae)
AKA:
Pinyon Goosefoot
Photo taken on:
July 30, 2007
Location:
Almont, CO
Life Zones:
Plains to montane
Habitat:
Disturbed soil, roadsides
Grows to 2 feet with stalked leaves pointing upwards. The flowers are greenish and tiny in tight clusters which turn pinkish when they go to seed.
Flora of North America reference.
Aridland Goosefoot
Chenopodium dessicatum
Family:
Amaranth (Amaranthaceae)
AKA:
Slimleaf Goosefoot
Photo taken on:
July 19, 2018
Location:
Almont Triangle, GV, CO
Life Zones:
Plains and foothills
Habitat:
Sandy areas, disturbed soil
Grows erect to 14" high branching from the base and
densely covered in a whitish powder. Leaves are about 1" long, narrow
and fleshy without the typical goosefoot shape. Flowers are tiny
and greenish in dense clusters at the end of the branches and in the
leaf axils. Leaves are similar
to Desert Goosefoot but the growth habit is different.
Flora of North America reference.
Fremont's Goosefoot
Chenopodium fremontii
Family:
Amaranth (Amaranthaceae)
AKA:
Photo taken on:
September 7, 2011
Location:
White Rock, NM
Life Zones:
Plains to foothills
Habitat:
Disturbed soil, fields
Grows to 2 feet with tiny green flowers. Similar to Lamb's Quarters but the leaves are bright green.
Flora of North America reference.
Oak-leaf Goosefoot
Chenopodium glaucum var. salinum
Family:
Amaranth (Amaranthaceae)
AKA:
Photo taken on:
August 9, 2014
Location:
Rio Chama, Abiquiu, NM
Life Zones:
Plains to foothills
Habitat:
Moist, waste areas
Grows 12"-16" erect or prostrate branching from the base with reddish ribbed stems. Leaves are toothed and resemble an oak leaf. The leaves of this plant are not so pronounced. Flowers are in clusters with similar shaped leaf-like bracts.
Flora of North America reference.
An inconspicuous plant until the fall when foliage turns bright red.
Photo taken on:
September 25, 2011
Location:
Burnt Mesa, NM
Flora of North America reference.
Mealy Goosefoot
Chenopodium incanum var. incanum
Family:
Amaranth (Amaranthaceae)
AKA:
Gray Goosefoot
Photo taken on:
June 12, 2015
Location:
CR 218, Rio Arriba, NM
Life Zones:
Plains to foothills
Habitat:
Dry sandy areas, roadsides
Grows to 6" high spreading with stems densely branched from the base. Leaves are less than ½", thick, goosefoot shaped and floury giving a gray appearance. Tiny flowers are in dense clusters.
Flora of North America reference.
Mealy Goosefoot
Chenopodium incanum
Photo taken on:
June 12, 2015
Location:
CR 218, Rio Arriba, NM
This photo shows both varieties of Chenopodium incanum growing next to each other. The differences are easily seen in the growth habit and size of the leaves.
Mealy Goosefoot
Chenopodium incanum var. elatum
Family:
Amaranth (Amaranthaceae)
AKA:
Gray Goosefoot
Photo taken on:
June 12, 2015
Location:
CR 218, Rio Arriba, NM
Life Zones:
Plains to foothills
Habitat:
Dry sandy areas, roadsides
Grows erect to over 2 feet high with stems branched from the base. Leaves are 1" long and triangular with rounded, occasionally pointed, lobes and tips. Tiny flowers are in dense clusters spaced along the stem.
Flora of North America reference.
New Mexico Goosefoot
Chenopodium neomexicanum
Family:
Amaranth (Amaranthaceae)
AKA:
Photo taken on:
August 11, 2014
Location:
Rio Chama, Abiquiu, NM
Life Zones:
Plains to foothills
Habitat:
Moist soil, roadsides
Grows to 2 feet with triangular, stalked leaves. The underside of the leaves are slightly mealy. Flower heads are spikes of tiny, greenish clusters of round flowers with narrow, leaf-like bracts.
Flora of North America reference.
Desert Goosefoot
Chenopodium pratericola
Family:
Amaranth (Amaranthaceae)
AKA:
Pale Goosefoot, Field Goosefoot, Narrowleaf Goosefoot
Photo taken on:
August 11, 2014
Location:
Rio Chama, Abiquiu, NM
Life Zones:
Plains and foothills
Habitat:
Sandy areas, floodplains, saline or
alkaline soils
Grows to 2½ feet covered in a whitish powder. Leaves are narrow without the lobes. Flowers are tiny and greenish in dense clusters with leaf-like bracts. Similar to Aridland Goosefoot but a much taller plant branching above, not from the base.
Flora of North America reference.