Chenopodium schraderianum Schult.

Jonsell, B., Karlsson, 2005, Chenopodiaceae - Fumariaceae (Chenopodium), Flora Nordica 2, pp. 4-31 : 28-29

24. Chenopodium schraderianum Schult.

Fig. 3L

Schultes, Syst. Veg. 6: 260 (1820). -

C. foetidum Schrad. , Ges. Naturf. Fr. Beri. Mag. 2: 79 (1808), non Lam. (1778).

- Described on cultivated material.

D Afrikansk Gåsefod. F afrikansavikka. N afrikamelde.

S drakmålla.

Therophyte (summer-annual). Aromatic, up to 1 m, covered by subsessile glands and in addition with some short, eglandular hairs; glands with globose head. Stem subangular, yellowish, reddish or green-striated, erect, sparsely branched in the middle and basal parts only; branches shorter than the main stem. Leaves with petiole up to l(-2) cm; blade elliptic to ovate, up to 8 cm, pinnatifid with 3-5 lobes and a few teeth on each side or sometimes sinuate, pure-green to yellowish-green; base attenuate (sometimes very shortly so); apex obtuse, sometimes apiculate. Bracts sinuate to entire.

Inflorescences terminal and axillary, elongated, bracteate for the most part, on the main stem up to 5 cm wide, composed of dichasial cymes. Flowers bisexual; terminal flowers larger than the lateral ones. Tepals 5, free, not contiguous at base, c. 1 x 0.5 mm, elliptic, green or sometimes purple, not whitish in fruit, with a conspicuous, cristate keel and broad membranous margin, with subsessile glands on the margin but otherwise glabrous; apex acute. Stamens 1-5. Stigmas 2, to 0.3 mm. Nut falling without the perianth; pericarp not adherent to the seed. Seed horizontal, orbicular in outline, 0.6-0.8 mm; edge rounded; seed-coat black, shallowly radially striate. - Autumn.

[2n=18]

Chenopodium schraderianum

Distribution and habitat. Casual in or near gardens; in recent times often brought in with garden seed. Often cultivated in botanic gardens. - D FyL Eliasminde 1870, Sjæ København 1933, 1934, 1991, Snedinge several records 1865-82. N 0/Halden 1827 (garden), Ak Oslo 1940,1946 (filling soil). S Sk Lund 1905, 1926, Välinge 1886, in 1995-2000 also Burlöv, Ivetofta, Knislinge and Österslöv, Bl Karlskrona 1861, Hl Harplinge 1998, BhG Göteborg 1945, 1951, 1994, Vg Kinnarumma 1951, Ulricehamn 1948, Örsås 1961, Srm Värmdö 1950, Vrm Karlstad 1992, Upl Blidö 1985, Solna 1994, 1997, Uppsala 1913. F EH Heinola 1989 (home garden, with garden seed), Lahti 1999 (snow-tip), Tampere 1999 (tip).

E Africa, SW Arabia, Pakistan; locally naturalized in C and E Europe.

Similar taxa. Chenopodium schraderianum is often confused with C. botrys (23); for differences see the key (couplet 3). See also the closely related C. pseudomultiflorum (rare casual).