Chenopodium berlandieri var. sinuatum
Pitseed goosefoot
(c) Michael Hermann, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Chenopodium berlandieri var. sinuatum (Pitseed goosefoot) is a native California herb in the Chenopodiaceae family, recognized by . Differs from var. zschackei by non-yellow style base.
Pitseed goosefoot is a California native annual found in the California Floristic Province and Desert bioregions in disturbed areas, fields, and riverbanks at elevations below 2,000 meters. Flowering from July to September, this plant produces small, inconspicuous flowers in dense clusters. Growing with branching stems up to 50 centimeters tall, it forms a spreading, somewhat open habit. Its leaves are variable, with lower leaves often triangular or roughly diamond-shaped, and upper leaves becoming smaller and more lance-shaped. The tiny seeds are approximately 1 to 1.3 millimeters in diameter, giving the plant its distinctive "pitseed" common name.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 27 sympatric species. Differs from var. zschackei by non-yellow style base
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas, fields, riverbanks
Elevation: < 2000 m
Outside California: Oregon, southwestern United States
Bloom period
Chenopodium berlandieri var. sinuatum blooms Jul-Sep.
How to tell it apart
vs Chenopodiastrum: Chenopodium has mealy coating; Chenopodiastrum is smooth to slightly hairy without mealy texture.; vs Atriplex: Chenopodium has perfect flowers; Atriplex has separate male/female flowers with paired bracts on fruits.; vs Blitum: Chenopodium has dry fruits; Blitum has fleshy, berry-like fruiting calyxes.; vs Amaranthus: Chenopodium has mealy coating; Amaranthus is smooth with dense bristly flower spikes.; vs Rumex: Chenopodium has 5-parted flowers in clusters; Rumex has 6-parted flowers in whorls.
Frequently asked questions
Is Chenopodium berlandieri var. sinuatum native to California?
Yes. Chenopodium berlandieri var. sinuatum is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Chenopodium berlandieri var. sinuatum bloom?
Chenopodium berlandieri var. sinuatum blooms Jul-Sep.
What plant family does Chenopodium berlandieri var. sinuatum belong to?
Chenopodium berlandieri var. sinuatum is in the Chenopodiaceae family, genus Chenopodium.
What habitat does Chenopodium berlandieri var. sinuatum grow in?
Chenopodium berlandieri var. sinuatum grows in Disturbed areas, fields, riverbanks.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.