Glaucous-leaved Fat-hen

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Glaucous-leaved Fat-hen
• Striped Goosefoot

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Chenopodium strictum var. pseudoborbasii
• Chenopodium striatum
• Chenopodium strictum subsp. striatum
• Chenopodium pseudoborbasii
• Chenopodium album var. striatum
• Chenopodium striatum f. erosum
• Chenopodium striatum f. purpureogriseum
• Chenopodium strictum var. angustifolium
• Chenopodium strictum f. atroviridiolivaceum
• Chenopodium strictum subsp. glaucophyllum
• Chenopodium strictum var. glaucophyllum
• Chenopodium album subsp. striatum
• Chenopodium × pseudostriatum var. erosum
• Chenopodium orphanidis
• Chenopodium glaucophyllum
• Chenopodium album var. pseudoborbasii

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, situated within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is classified under the order Caryophyllales and the family Amaranthaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic placement is within the genus Chenopodium.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Chenopodium betaeum, exhibits a specific geographical presence across several European regions. In Northern Europe, it can be found growing in Great Britain and Ireland. Its distribution extends further north into the territory of Norway. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is also documented in Austria. Finally, its range includes the central regions of Czechia and Slovakia.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Chenopodium betaeum is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire developmental process—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. As an annual species, it begins its life cycle when seeds germinate in favorable soil conditions, typically following periods of moisture. The plant undergoes a rapid vegetative growth phase, developing a robust root system and foliage to accumulate the necessary nutrients and energy for reproduction. Following this growth phase, the plant transitions into its reproductive stage, producing inflorescences that lead to the maturation of seeds. Once the seeds have reached maturity and are dispersed into the environment, the individual plant reaches the end of its biological life. This cyclical pattern ensures the continuation of the species through the seasonal deposition of a seed bank, which awaits the next optimal growing period to restart the cycle.

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Chenopodium betaeum is characterized by its herbaceous growth form, manifesting as a non-woody herb and a forb. The plant is self-supporting rather than a climber, maintaining an upright stature that typically reaches a minimum height of 0.45 m, with a maximum growth potential of up to 1 m.

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

herb

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height min:

0.45 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Chenopodium betaum is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which governs its carbon fixation processes through the direct carboxylation of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate by the enzyme RuBisCO. As a C3 plant, its metabolic efficiency is highly dependent on ambient temperature and CO2 concentrations, as it lacks the specialized Kranz anatomy or temporal separation mechanisms found in C4 or CAM species. During photosynthesis, the plant undergoes the Calvin cycle within the mesophyll cells, where atmospheric carbon dioxide is integrated into organic compounds to produce carbohydrates. This metabolic framework dictates the plant's water-use efficiency and its adaptive responses to varying light intensities and moisture availability in its ecological niche.

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Chenopodium betaceum has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Linalool, Phytol, linolenic acid.

Linalool

1. Acta biologica Hungarica

Phytol

1. Acta biologica Hungarica

linolenic acid

1. Acta biologica Hungarica

Preparations

Chenopodium betaceum has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include essential oil.

Essential oil

1. Acta biologica Hungarica