Narrowleaf goosefoot facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Narrowleaf goosefoot |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chenopodium
|
| Species: |
leptophyllum
|
Chenopodium leptophyllum is a type of flowering plant often called narrowleaf goosefoot. It belongs to the Amaranthaceae family. This plant grows naturally across much of western North America. You can find it from Alaska down to Texas and northern Mexico, and also in central Canada. It likes to grow in open areas, especially in sandy or gravelly soil. It can easily grow in places where the ground has been disturbed, like along roadsides.
Plant Features
This plant is an annual herb, meaning it lives for only one year. It usually grows straight up, reaching about 40 to 60 centimeters tall. The plant often feels powdery, especially on the underside of its leaves.
Leaves and Flowers
The leaves are thin and have a dusty feel. They are long and narrow, like a spear tip, and have smooth edges. Each leaf can be up to about 2.5 centimeters long.
The plant's tiny flowers grow in groups called inflorescences. These clusters are found at the tips of the branches and where the leaves meet the stem. The flowers are packed very tightly together. Each small flower has five parts, like tiny petals.
How People Use It
The Zuni people, who are Native Americans, have used this plant for food.
Traditional Zuni Food
- Young plants: The Zuni people would boil the young plants. They ate them alone or cooked them with meat.
- Seeds: The seeds were also an important food source. People would grind the seeds into a powder. They mixed this powder with corn meal and salt. This mixture was then made into a thick dough. They shaped the dough into balls and cooked them by steaming. The Zuni people considered these seeds to be one of their most important food plants when they first came to their homeland.
