Plants of the Castlemaine district
Fat Hen - introduced (*Chenopodium album)
Family: Chenopodiaceae (Chickweed family).
Native of Europe.
Occurrence: A widespread weed of cultivated land and wastelands.
Identification:
- it is an erect, usually branched annual
- the leaves are often a rounded diamond shape, and may be coarsely or finely toothed
- the leaves have a mealy appearance on the underside
- the flowers are small and in rounded clusters, without obvious petals.
This plant is reputed to have been used as a salad or cooked vegetable, particularly in times of food shortage. On the other hand, it is reputed to be poisonous to stock.
Similar species:
Sowbane (Chenopodium murale) is similar in
appearance. Its stems are red-striped, and the leaves are green on bothsides.
Stinking Goosefoot (Chenopodium vulvaria) is a prostrate plant with a most obnoxious odour when crushed.
Name. Chenopodium: Goosefoot; cheno: goose; pod: foot, the leaves have the appearance of a goose's foot.
Photos: 1: Fat Hen growing in a dry location. In good conditions it will grow to a larger bushier and larger plant.
2: Portion of the stem of a Fat Hen. Dried specimen, Castlemaine.
3: Bladder-hairs on the leaves and stems give a mealy appearance.
2: Portion of the stem of a Fat Hen. Dried specimen, Castlemaine.
3: Bladder-hairs on the leaves and stems give a mealy appearance.