fat-hen

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• fat-hen
• lamb's-quarters
• white goosefoot
• white pigweed
• Fat Hen
• giant fat-hen
• lamb’s-quarters

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Chenopodium viride var. album
• Botrys albus
• Atriplex alba

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, specifically falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Caryophyllales, it is classified under the family Amaranthaceae. It is further identified by the genus Chenopodium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a broad presence across several regions in Northern Europe. In the northernmost reaches, it can be found growing in Iceland and Finland. Its distribution continues through the island of Førøya, where it adapts to the local climate. Furthermore, the species is well-established within the territories of Denmark and Great Britain. Together, these locations highlight the plant's ability to thrive in various Northern European environments.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Chenopodium album is characterized by a highly versatile distribution across a vast altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum elevation of 3800 m AMSL, with a mean elevational presence of approximately 2137.5 m AMSL. This species thrives predominantly in anthropogenic habitats (Área Antrópica), demonstrating a remarkable ability to colonize environments disturbed or modified by human activity. Its capacity to inhabit such diverse elevations and human-impacted landscapes underscores its role as a resilient ruderal species capable of adapting to varying climatic and topographical conditions.

Elevational range max:

3800 m AMSL

Elevational range mean:

2137.5 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica

Genetics

The genetics of Chenopodium album are characterized by a complex polyploid evolutionary history, which is reflected in its varying chromosomal configurations. The species exhibits significant genomic plasticity, manifesting through different ploidy levels that contribute to its wide adaptability and vigor. Specifically, the chromosome numbers observed within this species include 18, 36, and 54, indicating the presence of diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid lineages respectively. This varying chromosomal makeup suggests a history of genome doubling events, which likely plays a critical role in the plant's ability to thrive in diverse ecological niches and its capacity for rapid evolutionary adaptation.

Chromosome number :

18, 36, 54

Life history

The life history of Chenopodium album is characterized by its status as an annual plant, meaning it completes its entire biological cycle—from germination to seed production and death—within a single growing season. As a therophyte, the species survives unfavorable conditions by producing a large number of seeds that remain dormant in the soil, rather than maintaining vegetative structures above ground. This life form is strictly deciduous, as the plant withers and dies completely once the reproductive phase is concluded and the seasonal cycle ends.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Chenopodium album is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb, which functions as a self-supporting, independent plant rather than a climber or parasite. As a terrestrial species, it does not exhibit epiphytic or aquatic tendencies, maintaining a strictly land-based existence. The plant's architecture is defined by an erect shoot orientation, with its physical stature varying significantly depending on environmental conditions; while it can reach a minimum height of 0.1 m, it typically maintains a mean height of approximately 0.7666 m, though it is capable of reaching a maximum height of up to 3 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

3 m

Plant height mean:

0.7666 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Shoot orientation :

erect

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Chenopodium album is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway and a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy, lacking the ability to function as a nitrogen fixer. The plant's leaf morphology is defined by a lanceolate form with entire margins, devoid of any leaf thorns or spines. The leaves exhibit significant variability in dimensions, with lengths ranging from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 10 cm, and a mean leaf width of 2.5 cm. These morphological traits contribute to a mean leaf size of 23.9 cm², while the Specific Leaf Area (SLA) averages 222.14 cm²/g, reflecting its physiological approach to light interception and resource allocation.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf form :

lanceolate

Leaf length max:

10 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Leaf margin :

entire

Leaf size mean:

23.9 cm²

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Leaf width mean:

2.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

222.14 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Chenopodium album is driven by a sexual process through bisexual flowers that are green in color and arranged in a panicle inflorescence. The flowering period typically commences in July and extends through October. This species utilizes an abiotic pollination syndrome, specifically relying on the wind for pollen transfer, and characterized by the absence of self-fertilization. Following successful pollination, the plant produces dry, indehiscent fruits categorized as achenes. These fruits are highly prolific, with each fruit containing more than 1,000 seeds. The seeds are quite small, featuring a mean mass of approximately 0.013975 g (ranging from 0.00017 g to 0.0016 g), a mean width of 1.3 mm (ranging from 1.1 mm to 1.5 mm), a mean length of 1.1 mm to 1.5 mm, and a mean volume of 0.79 mm³ (ranging from 0.75 mm³ to 0.84 mm³). Regarding dispersal, the plant employs an unspecialized syndrome that includes anthropochorous mechanisms, allowing for widespread distribution. Asexual reproduction is noted to be absent in this species.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower colour :

green

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Oct

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit type :

achene

Inflorescence :

panicle

Pollination syndrome :

wind

Pollination syndrome :

abiotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed length max:

1.5 mm

Seed length min:

1.1 mm

Seed mass max:

0.0016 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0139754833333333 g

Seed mass min:

0.00017 g

Seed volume max:

0.84 mm³

Seed volume mean:

0.79 mm³

Seed volume min:

0.75 mm³

Seed width max:

1.5 mm

Seed width mean:

1.3 mm

Seed width min:

1.1 mm

Seeds_per_fruit :

>1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Chenopodium album has 2 reported plant parts identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include leaf, seed.

Leaf

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology
2. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica
3. Journal of tropical medicine

Seed

1. PloS one
2. Saudi journal of biological sciences

Chemicals

Chenopodium album has 88 reported phytochemicals identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Saponins, IRON, POTASSIUM, CA, CALCIUM.

Saponins

1. Fitoterapia
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica
4. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

IRON

1. Dr. Duke
2. PeerJ
3. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

POTASSIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. PeerJ
3. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

CA

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

CALCIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

COPPER

1. Dr. Duke
2. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

FE

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences
2. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

Flavonoids

1. Chemistry & biodiversity
2. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

MAGNESIUM

1. Dr. Duke
2. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

MANGANESE

1. Dr. Duke
2. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Activities

Chenopodium album has 461 reported activities identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antipruritic, Hepatoprotective, Allelopathic.

Antioxidant

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)
3. Saudi journal of biological sciences
4. Tropical animal health and production
5. Chemistry & biodiversity

Antibacterial

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)
3. Chemistry & biodiversity
4. Acta poloniae pharmaceutica

Antipruritic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)
3. Journal of food science and technology

Hepatoprotective

1. Dr. Duke
2. Chemistry & biodiversity
3. Journal of food science and technology

Allelopathic

1. Dr. Duke
2. PloS one

Anticancer

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Antidiabetic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Antifungal

1. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)
2. Chemistry & biodiversity

Antihyperlipidemic

1. Dr. Duke
2. Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.)

Antimicrobial

1. Tropical animal health and production
2. Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening

Medicinal Uses

Chenopodium album has 33 reported medicinal uses identified across 5 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include antioxidant, antipruritic, Aspergillus flavus, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations