Chenopodium suecicum
Murr.
iNaturalist· cc-by
(c) Yurii Basov, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Yurii Basov
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Sergei Mosyakin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Summary
Source: WikipediaChenopodium suecicum is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Amaranthaceae. It belongs to the group of B-genome diploids (2n = 18) and likely participated in the formation of the Eurasian hexaploid C. album complex (genome BBCCDD) as well as the New World C. berlandieri complex (genome AABB). Consequently, it is a potentially valuable genetic resource for improving the pseudocereal crop quinoa. Synonyms: Chenopodium album f. pseudopulifolium Scholz Chenopodium pseudopulifolium (Scholz) Murr
Description
An annual herb suitable for light, medium, and heavy soils with mildly acid to basic pH. Prefers moist soil and requires full sun. Wind-pollinated hermaphrodite species.
Edible Uses
Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked as a spinach substitute, though raw leaves should only be consumed in small quantities due to toxicity concerns. The seed can be ground into a powder and blended with cereal flours for making bread, cakes, and similar foods. Seeds are small and fiddly; soak them overnight and rinse thoroughly before use to remove any saponins.
Medicinal Uses
None known.
Known Hazards
The leaves and seeds of all members of this genus are more or less edible. However, many of the species in this genus contain saponins, though usually in quantities too small to do any harm. Although toxic, saponins are poorly absorbed by the body and most pass straight through without any problem. They are also broken down to a large extent in the cooking process. Saponins are found in many foods, such as some beans. Saponins are much more toxic to some creatures, such as fish, and hunting tribes have traditionally put large quantities of them in streams, lakes etc in order to stupefy or kill the fish. The plants also contain some oxalic acid, which in large quantities can lock up some of the nutrients in the food. However, even considering this, they are very nutritious vegetables in reasonable quantities. Cooking the plants will reduce their content of oxalic acid. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition.
Distribution
It is a temperate plant.
Where It Grows
Asia, Britain, Europe,
Cultivation
An easily grown plant, succeeding in most soils but disliking shade. It prefers a moderately fertile soil.
Propagation
Sow seed in spring directly in situ. Most of the seed typically germinates within a few days of sowing.
Other Uses
Gold and green dyes can be obtained from the whole plant.
Notes
There are about 100-150-250 Chenopodium species. They are mostly in temperate regions. Also put in the family Chenopodiaceae.
Synonyms
References (1)
- Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
