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Plate 33] CHENOPODIUM 137
Chenopodium ambrosioides,
Linn.
(Ambrosioides means resembling ambrosia, the food of gods,
alluding to the aromatic qualities of the plant.)
A tall, much-branched, highly aromatic herb with a
camphoraceous odour, hairy and glandular, not mealy. Stem
and branches streaked, more or less glandular-hairy. Leaves
often with glands, li-3} by i-1 in., oblong-lance-shaped,
blunt or sharp-pointed, sinuately toothed, the upper leaves
almost entire, base tapering, running down into a short stalk.
Flowers very small, clustered, forming slender, axillary and
terminal, simple or paniculate leafy spikes. Sepals round-eggshaped,
concave, blunt, not keeled, closing over the fruit.
Stigmas usually 5. Fruit membranous. Seeds ^ in .
diameter,
round, smooth, shining, margin blunt.
Locality. Srinagar.
Distribution. Widely spread in the Old World.
(Botrys is
Chenopodium Botrys, Linn. Collett, fig. 133.
the Greek name for grape and was used by Dioscorides
for this species.)
Strongly aromatic, glandular-hairy. Stems 6-18 in. high,
erect, hairy in the upper part branches
;
numerous, spreading
and bent back. Leaves of the middle stem 1-3 in. long,
oblong, pinnately lobed, the upper ones nearly entire. Flowerclusters
in numerous, short, axillary panicles which form large
terminal panicles. Perianth-segments elliptic-triangular, with
stalked glands on the back, without meal or hairs, almost erect
on the ripo fruit. Style-branches 2. Seed horizontal, almost
globose, smooth, margin blunt.
Locality. Srinagar ;
at elevations from 4,000-14,000 ft.
Distribution. Kashmir to Sikkim, N. and W. Asia, N. Africa,
Europe.
Chenopodium hybridum, Linn. Thorn-apple Goosefoot.
An erect herb, in. to 3 ft. high, having a heavy odour.
Stem stout, branched. Leaves large, 3-5 in. long, broadly eggshaped,
heart-shaped, long-pointed, pale green, membranous,
angular, toothed, the teeth large, distant, 2-4 on each side,
3-5-nerved at the base. Flowers in loose, axillary, nearly
leafless corymbs or spikes, forming large clusters. Perianth
of 5 sepals not covering the fruit. Seeds coarsely minutely
pitted, not keeled, opaque, large.
Locality. Ladakh, 12,000 ft.
Distribution. Kashmir, Punjab, Baluchistan, N. Asia,
N. Africa, Europe.