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Synonyms: Atriplicaceae Juss.; Blitaceae Post & Kuntze; Corispermaceae Link, nom. inval.; Dysphaniaceae Pax, nom. cons.; Salicorniaceae Martinov; Salsolaceae Menge
Common name: Goosefoot Family.
Number of genera 111. Number of species 1300 (ca.).
Angiosperm. Magnoliopsida.
Disseminule a dehisced fruit, or an intact or entire fruit, or a seed.
Fruits
Pistil(s) compound; 1; 1-pistillate; with carpels united. Fruit anthocarp, or pericarpium; simple, or compound; achene (Chenopodium auricomiforme Murr & Thell.), or berry (Rhagodia baccata (Labill.) Moq.); bibacca (Didymanthus & Spjut has 3 families: Caprifoliaceae (Lonicera - fleshy), Chenopodiaceae (dry), Rubiaceae (Mitchella - fleshy)); berry indehiscent; berry without central placental mass; simple, or compound; diclesium; catoclesium (Beta & 4 families Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Calyceraceae, Chenopodiaceae); without persistent central column; with styles(s); at apex; within accessory organ(s), or not within accessory organ(s); within bracteoles, or perianth, or calyx (& calyx may be modified, several fused, or unchanged or glandullary blistered); accrescent; persistent; 2-carpellate (-3–5); without sterile carpels; not sulcate; apex not beaked; wall membranaceous, or hard; indehiscent, or dehiscent (rarely circumsicclely). Dehiscent unit endocarp(s). Dehiscent regularly (assumed); passively; at middle; without replum. Epicarp durable; without armature; without wing(s); without apical respiratory hole. Mesocarp present, or absent. Endocarp present, or absent; not separating from exocarp; thin; not splitting into 1-seeded pyrenes; without operculum; without secretory cavities; without longitudinal ridges. Funiculus short; short without seed bearing hooks (retinacula); not persisting in fruit after seed shed.
Seeds
Aril absent. Seed larger than minute; circular, or reniform; in transection lenticular; not bowl shaped; not nutlike; without winglike beak; without caudate appendage(s); at maturity with food reserves, or without apparent food reserves; with endosperm, or perisperm; without canavanine. Sarcotesta absent. Testa present, or absent; adnate to epicarp; without embryo surrounded and capped by viscid tissue; without fleshy or leathery layer over hard layer; shiny, or dull; surface smooth, or unsmooth; surface with depressed features, or discreet raised features, or merged raised features; surface pitted; surface granular, or tuberculate; surface colliculate, or reticulate, or ridged; with crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle, or without crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle; with notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approaching each other, or without notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approach each other; without glands; without bristles; glabrous; without wings; without collar; without operculum; colored; monochrome; black, or brown (all shades); crustaceous, or membranous, or thin, or hard; not becoming mucilaginous when wetted; surrounding embryo (& missing). Hilum punctate. Endosperm trace; restricted to sheath around radicle.
Perisperm copious, or scanty, or moderate; hard; with starch; with starch composed of clustered grains; opaque (whitish). Embryo differentiated from food reserve; well developed; 1 per seed; completely filling testa (no food reserve), or partially filling testa (with food reserve), or nearly filling testa (trace or scanty food reserve); 1–2 times the length of food reserve; at one end of seed not extending into a depression or cup; peripheral; linear; C-shaped (Dysphania), or annular (both of these for Chenopodioideae and this subfamily has perisperm), or flatly coiled (circinate), or conically coiled (circinate) (Salsoloideae, without perisperm), or U-shaped; 100% annular, or 125% annular, or 150% annular; with cotyledons gradually connected to hypocotyl-radicle; without coleorhiza; without simmondsin; without stomata; not green; with 2 or more cotyledons. Cotyledons 2; well developed; 0.4–0.7 times length of embryo; as wide as hypocotyl-radicle; not concealing hypocotyl-radicle; foliaceous; convoluted; 2-lobed; with apices entire; with margins separate; basally entire; equal in size; not punctate dotted. Hypocotyl-radicle well developed; coiled, or curved; not thickened.
Distribution
Cosmopolitan. New World, Old World. North America, Middle America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia Major, Asia Minor, southeastern Asia, Australia, Oceania.
Weed information
1 or more USA Federal noxious weeds, 1 or more USA state noxious weeds.
USA Federal noxious weeds: -- alternanthera sessilis (L.) R. Br. ex DC.: USA Federal Noxious Weed●; USA state noxious weed: CA●, FL●, MA●, NC●, PR●. -- Salsola vermiculata L.: USA Federal Noxious Weed●; USA state noxious weed: CA●, FL●, MA●, NC●. -- Symbols: ªaquatic weed; ●terrestrial weed; °weed in seed. -- Last updated September 2008.
USA states and territories with listed noxious weeds: Alabama (AL), Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Connecticut (CT), Florida (FL), Hawaii (HI), Idaho (ID), Massachusetts (MA), Missouri (MO), Nevada (NV), New Mexico (NM), North Carolina (NC), Ohio (OH), Oregon (OR), Puerto Rico (PR), South Carolina (SC), Texas (TX), Utah (UT), Washington (WA).
USA state and territory noxious weeds: -- Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb.: USA state noxious weed: ALª●, AZª, CAª, FLª, PRª, SCª, TXª. -- Alternanthera sessilis (L.) R. Br. ex DC.: USA Federal Noxious Weed●; USA state noxious weed: CA●, FL●, MA●, NC●, PR●. -- Alternanthera spp.: USA state noxious weed: ARª, PRª. -- Froelichia gracilis (Hook.) Moq.: USA state noxious weed: CT●.-- Halogeton glomeratus (M. Bieb.) C. A. Mey.: USA state noxious weed: AZ●, CA●°, CO●°, HI●°, ID°, NM●°, NV°, OR●°, UT°, WA°. -- Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad. (=Bassia scoparia (L.) A. J. Scott): USA state noxious weed: CT●, OR●, WA●. -- Salsola collina Pall.: USA state noxious weed: CA●. -- Salsola kali L.: USA state noxious weed: HI●°. -- Salsola kali var. tenuifolia Tausch (=Salsola tragus L.): USA state noxious weed: AZ°, OH●. -- Salsola paulsenii Litv.: USA state noxious weed: CA●. -- Salsola pestifer A. Nelson (=Salsola tragus L.): USA state noxious weed: MO°. -- Salsola spp.: USA state noxious weed: AR●. -- Salsola tragus L.: USA state noxious weed: CA●. -- Salsola vermiculata L.: USA Federal Noxious Weed●; USA state noxious weed: CA●, FL●, MA●, NC●. -- Symbols: ªaquatic weed; ●terrestrial weed; °weed in seed. -- Last updated September 2008.
Listed seeds
ASOA listed seeds, ISTA listed seeds.
ASOA listed seeds: -- Atriplex argentea subsp. expansa H. M. Hall & Clem. = Atriplex argentea var. mohavensis M. E. Jones -- Atriplex argentea var. mohavensis M. E. Jones -- Atriplex bonnevillensis C. A. Hanson = Atriplex gardneri var. bonnevillensis (C. A. Hanson) S. L. Welsh -- Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt. -- Atriplex confertifolia (Torr. & Frem.) S. Watson -- Atriplex corrugata S. Watson -- Atriplex cuneata A. Nelson = Atriplex gardneri var. cuneata (A. Nelson) S. L. Welsh -- Atriplex expansa S. Watson = Atriplex argentea var. mohavensis M. E. Jones -- Atriplex gardneri var. bonnevillensis (C. A. Hanson) S. L. Welsh -- Atriplex gardneri var. cuneata (A. Nelson) S. L. Welsh -- Atriplex gardneri var. gardneri (Moq.) D. Dietr. -- Atriplex gardneri var. utahensis (M. E. Jones) Dorn -- Atriplex hortensis L. -- Atriplex lentiformis (Torr.) S. Watson -- Atriplex patula subsp. hastata auct. = Atriplex prostrata Boucher ex DC. -- Atriplex polycarpa (Torr.) S. Watson -- Atriplex prostrata Boucher ex DC. -- Atriplex rosea L. -- Atriplex semibaccata R. Br. -- Atriplex L. spp. -- Atriplex subspicata (Nutt.) Rydb. -- Atriplex tridentata Kuntze = Atriplex gardneri var. utahensis (M. E. Jones) Dorn -- Atriplex truncata (Torr. ex S. Watson) A. Gray -- Axyris amaranthoides L. -- Bassia hyssopifolia (Pall.) Kuntze -- Bassia prostrata (L.) A. J. Scott -- Bassia scoparia (L.) A. J. Scott -- Bassia All. spp. -- Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla (L.) W. D. J. Koch = Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris L. -- Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris L. -- Ceratoides lanata (Pursh) J. T. Howell = Krascheninnikovia lanata (Pursh) A. Meeuse & A. Smit -- Chenopodium album L. -- Chenopodium ambrosioides L. = Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants -- Chenopodium berlandieri Moq. -- Chenopodium botrys L. = Dysphania botrys (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants -- Chenopodium fremontii S. Watson -- Chenopodium gigantospermum Aellen = Chenopodium simplex Raf. -- Chenopodium leptophyllum (Moq.) Nutt. ex S. Watson -- Chenopodium multifidum L. = Dysphania multifida (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants -- Chenopodium murale L. -- Chenopodium quinoa Willd. -- Chenopodium rubrum L. -- Chenopodium simplex Raf. -- Chenopodium L. spp. -- Corispermum hyssopifolium L. -- Corispermum nitidum Kit. -- Corispermum orientale auct. Amer. = Corispermum villosum Rydb.-- Corispermum orientale Lam. -- Corispermum L. spp. -- Corispermum villosum Rydb.-- Cycloloma atriplicifolium (Spreng.) J. M. Coult. -- Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants -- Dysphania botrys (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants -- Dysphania multifida (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants -- Eurotia lanata (Pursh) Moq. = Krascheninnikovia lanata (Pursh) A. Meeuse & A. Smit -- Grayia spinosa (Hook.) Moq. -- Halogeton glomeratus (M. Bieb.) C. A. Mey. -- Kochia prostrata (L.) Schrad. = Bassia prostrata (L.) A. J. Scott -- Kochia scoparia f. trichophylla (hort. ex Voss) Schinz & Thell. = Bassia scoparia ‘Trichophylla’ (L.) A. J. Scott -- Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad. = Bassia scoparia (L.) A. J. Scott -- Krascheninnikovia lanata (Pursh) A. Meeuse & A. Smit -- Monolepis nuttalliana (Schult.) Greene -- Roubieva multifida (L.) Moq. = Dysphania multifida (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants -- Salsola australis R. Br. = Salsola tragus L. -- Salsola collina Pall. -- Salsola iberica auct. = Salsola tragus L. -- Salsola kali subsp. ruthenica (Iljin) Soo = Salsola tragus L. -- Salsola kali var. tenuifolia Tausch = Salsola tragus L. -- Salsola kali auct. w. N. Amer. = Salsola tragus L. -- Salsola paulsenii Litv. -- Salsola pestifer A. Nelson = Salsola tragus L. -- Salsola L. spp. -- Salsola tragus L. -- Salsola vermiculata L. -- Spinacia oleracea L. -- Suaeda calceoliformis (Hook.) Moq. -- Suaeda depressa auct. = Suaeda calceoliformis (Hook.) Moq. -- Suckleya suckleyana (Torr.) Rydb. -- Last updated September 2008.
ISTA listed seeds: -- Atriplex hortensis L.a -- Atriplex patula L.w -- Axyris amaranthoides L.w -- Bassia scoparia (L.) A. J. Scott = Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad.w -- Bassia hyssopifolia (Pall.) Kuntzew -- Beta vulgaris L.a -- Chenopodium album L.w -- Chenopodium ambrosioides L. -- Chenopodium ficifolium Sm.w -- Chenopodium hybridum L.w -- Chenopodium murale L.w -- Chenopodium pallidicaule Aellen -- Chenopodium quinoa Willd. -- Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants = Chenopodium ambrosioides L.-- Halogeton glomeratus (M. Bieb.) C. A. Mey.w -- Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad.f -- Salsola kali L. w -- Salsola vermiculata L.w -- Spinacia oleracea L.a -- Symbols: aagricultural and vegetable seeds (Table 2A Part 1); ttree and shrub species (Table 2A Part 2); fflower, spice, herb, and medicinal seeds (Table 2A Part 3); wweed seeds. -- Last updated September 2008.
Accepted genera
Acroglochin Schrad. ex Schult. -- Agathophora (Fenzl) Bunge -- Agriophyllum M. Bieb. -- Alexandra Bunge -- Allenrolfea Kuntze -- Anabasis L. -- Anthochlamys Fenzl -- Aphanisma Nutt. ex Moq. -- Archiatriplex G. L. Chu -- Arthrocnemum Moq. -- Arthrophytum Schrenk -- Atriplex L., nom. cons. prop. -- Axyris L. -- Baolia H. W. Kung & G. L. Chu -- Bassia All. -- Beta L. -- Bienertia Bunge ex Boiss. -- Blitum L. -- Borsczowia Bunge -- Camphorosma L. -- Ceratocarpus L. -- Chenopodium L. -- Climacoptera Botsch. -- Corispermum L. -- Cornulaca Delile -- Cremnophyton Brullo & Pavone -- Cyathobasis Aellen -- Cycloloma Moq. -- Didymanthus Endl. -- Dissocarpus F. Muell. -- Dysphania R. Br. -- Einadia Raf. -- Enchylaena R. Br. -- Endolepis Torr. -- Eremophea Paul G. Wilson -- Eriochiton (R. H. Anderson) A. J. Scott -- Exomis Fenzl ex Moq. -- Fadenia Aellen & C. C. Towns. -- Fredolia (Coss. & Durieu ex Bunge) Ulbr. -- Gamanthus Bunge -- Girgensohnia Bunge -- Grayia Hook. & Arn. -- Hablitzia M. Bieb. -- Halanthium K. Koch -- Halarchon Bunge -- Halimione Aellen -- Halimocnemis C. A. Mey. -- Halocharis Moq. -- Halocnemum M. Bieb. -- Halogeton C. A. Mey. -- Halopeplis Bunge ex Ung.-Sternb. -- Halosarcia Paul G. Wilson -- Halostachys C. A. Mey. ex Schrenk -- Halothamnus Jaub. & Spach -- Haloxylon Bunge -- Hammada Iljin -- Hemichroa R. Br. -- Heterostachys Ung.-Sternb. -- Holmbergia Hicken -- Horaninovia Fisch. & C. A. Mey. -- Iljinia Korovin -- Kalidium Moq. -- Kirilowia Bunge -- Krascheninnikovia Gueldenst. -- Lagenantha Chiov. -- Maireana Moq. -- Malacocera R. H. Anderson -- Manochlamys Aellen -- Microcnemum Ung.-Sternb. -- Microgynoecium Hook. f. -- Monolepis Schrad. -- Nanophyton Less. -- Neobassia A. J. Scott -- Nitrophila S. Watson -- Noaea Moq. -- Nucularia Batt. -- Ofaiston Raf. -- Oreobliton Durieu -- Osteocarpum F. Muell. -- Pachycornia Hook. f. -- Panderia Fisch. & C. A. Mey. -- Petrosimonia Bunge -- Physandra Botsch. -- Piptoptera Bunge -- Polycnemum L. -- Proatriplex (W. A. Weber) Stutz & G. L. Chu -- Rhagodia R. Br. -- Rhaphidophyton Iljin -- Roycea C. A. Gardner -- Salicornia L. -- Salsola L. -- Sarcocornia A. J. Scott -- Scleroblitum Ulbr. -- Sclerochlamys F. Muell. -- Sclerolaena R. Br. -- Sclerostegia Paul G. Wilson -- Seidlitzia Bunge ex Boiss. -- Sevada Moq. -- Spinacia L. -- Stelligera A. J. Scott -- Suaeda Forssk. ex J. F. Gmel., nom. cons. -- Suckleya A. Gray -- Sympegma Bunge -- Tecticornia Hook. f. -- Tegicornia Paul G. Wilson -- Teloxys Moq. -- Threlkeldia R. Br. -- Traganopsis Maire & Wilczek -- Traganum Delile -- Zuckia Standl.
References specific to this family
Cronquist page 261 (also see Halophytaceae & Sarcobataceae). Planchuelo, A.M. 1975. Estudio de los frutos y semillas del género Chenopodium en las Argentina. Darwiniana 19(2–4):528–565; Wilson, P.G. 1979. A revision of the Australian species of Salicornieae (Chenopodiaceae). Nuytsia 3:3–154.
General references
Corner, E.J.H. 1976. The seeds of Dicots, esp. vol. 2. Cambridge University Press, New York, Cronquist, A. 1981. An integrated system of classification of flowering plants, 1,262 p. Columbia University Press, New York, Gaertner, J. 1788–1805. De fructibus et seminibus plantarum. The Author, Stuttgart, Goldberg, A. 1986 (dicots) and 1989 (monocots). Classification, evolution, and phylogeny of the familes of Dicotyledons. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 58 for dicots (314 pp.) and 71 for monocots (74 pp.). [Goldberg's illustrations are reproduced from older publications and these should be consulted], Gunn, C.R. and C.A. Ritchie. 1988. Identification of disseminules listed in the Federal Noxious Weed Act. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1719:1–313, Gunn, C.R., J.H. Wiersema, C.A. Ritchie, and J.H. Kirkbride, Jr. 1992 and amendments. Families and genera of Spermatophytes recognized by the Agricultural Research Service. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1796:1–500, LeMaout, E. and J. Decaisne. 1876. A general system of botany, 1,065 p. Longmans, Green, and Co., London, Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The plant-book, 706 p. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Martin, A.C. 1946. The comparative internal morphology of seeds. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 36:513–660, Schopmeyer, C.S. 1974. Seeds of Woody plants in the United States. Agric. Handb. 450:1–883, Spjut, R.W. 1994. A systematic treatment of fruit types. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 70:1–182, Wood, C.E., Jr. 1974. A student's atlas of flowering plants: Some dicotyledons of eastern North America, 120 pp. Harper and Row, New York.
Illustrations
Poor fruit and seed illustrations. Disseminule illustration(s): fruit, or seed, or embryo. Fruit illustration(s): Planchuelo (1974–5), Karen, LeMaout & Decaisne, Schopmeyer, Wood, Jr., Wilson (1979), Gunn & Ritchie. Seed illustration(s): Planchuelo (1974–5), Karen, Schopmeyer, Wood, Jr., Wilson (1979), Gunn & Ritchie. Embryo illustration(s): LeMaout & Decaisne, Schopmeyer, Wood, Jr., Martin, Gunn & Ritchie.
• Fruit. 1 of 21. Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.: winged fruit. • Seed. 2 of 21. Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.: fruit with wings removed. • Fruit. 3 of 21. Axyris amaranthoides L.: fruits. • Seed. 4 of 21. Axyris amaranthoides L.: seed. • Seed. 5 of 21. Beta vulgaris L.: fruits. • Fruit. 6 of 21. Chenopodium album L.: fruits. • Seed. 7 of 21. Chenopodium album L.: seeds. • Seed. 8 of 21. Corispermum papillosum (Kuntze) Iljin: seeds. • Fruit. 9 of 21. Polycemum majus A. Braun: fruiting head. • Fruit and seed. 10 of 21. Polycemum majus A. Braun: fruits and seeds. • Seed. 11 of 21. Polycemum majus A. Braun: seeds. • Fruit. 12 of 21. Sarcocornia pacifica (Standl.) A. J. Scott: fruiting head. • Fruit. 13 of 21. Sarcocornia pacifica (Standl.) A. J. Scott: fruits. • Seed. 14 of 21. Sarcocornia pacifica (Standl.) A. J. Scott: seeds. • Fruit. 15 of 21. Salsola richleri (Moq.) Kar. ex Litv.: fruit. • Seed. 16 of 21. Salsola richleri (Moq.) Kar. ex Litv.: fruits. • Fruit. 17 of 21. Spinacea oleracea L.: fruits. • Seed. 18 of 21. Spinacea oleracea L.: seeds. • Embryo. 19 of 21. Sclerolaena birchii (F. Muell.) Domin: embryo. • Embryo. 20 of 21. Chenopodium hircinum Schrad.: embryo. • Embryo. 21 of 21. Salsola vermiculata L.: embryo.
We advise against extracting comparative information from the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using the DELTA data files or the interactive key, which allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa. See also Guidelines for using data taken from Web publications.
Cite this publication as: ‘J.H. Kirkbride, Jr., C.R. Gunn, and M.J. Dallwitz. 2000 onwards. Family guide for fruits and seeds: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. Version: 12th April 2021. delta-intkey.com’.
