Chenopodium album L.

Spice Leaf In the field 1 In the field 2

Family: CHENOPODIACEAE

Genus: Chenopodium

Catalan common name: Blet blanc.

Spanish common name: Berza perruna. Cañizo.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Cosmopolitan and subcosmopolitan

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Cultivated fields, path and road sides.

Characteristics: A very frequent plant along path-sides, roads and disturbed places; it can grow very much, reaching more than a metre and a half in height. Despite its name, the stems and leaves are whitish- green, whereas the inflorescences have a floury texture. The leaves are very variable in shape, more or less rhomboidal or lanceolate, they have a smooth margin or some not very pronounced lobules. The inflorescences are shaped like long spikes which stick out of the top of the plants. It is easily distinguished from Chenopodium murale because the latter has dentate leaves and short inflorescences; Chenopodium opulifolium has very triangular, floury leaves. It flowers from summer to the beginning of winter.