CHENOPODIACEAE
BOTANICAL FAMILY
Definition: includes spinach and beets.
This is a large family of about 1400 species of low-growing plants in 102 genera. Nearly all are found in, and are tolerant of salted earth in sea shores, deserts, etc. Some are xerophytic and resemble cacti.
Many are of major economic importance as food plants. These include Atriplex L. spp., Beta vulgaris L. (beetroot, sugar beet, mangold wurzel, Swiss chard), Chenopodium L. spp., and Spinacia oleracea L. (spinach). The burning bush (Kochia scoparia Schrader f. trichophylla Schinz & Thell.) is commonly grown in gardens as an ornamental bedding plant.
Chenopodium ambrosioides L. var. anthelminticum A. Gray is cultivated for its anthelmintic volatile oil known as American wormseed oil, chenopodium oil, or Baltimore oil. A Sumerian recipe for soap (circa 2500 B.C.) utilised Salicornia fruticosa L. as the source of alkali (Rowley 1960).
Synonyms: goosefoot family.