Chenopodium hians
Gaping goosefoot
(c) Patrick Hacker, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Patrick Hacker · licence
Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Chenopodium hians (Gaping goosefoot) is a native California herb in the Chenopodiaceae family, recognized by distinctive sparse inflorescence, scented, prominently 3-veined leaves.
Gaping goosefoot is a California native annual found in northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, southern Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, and Great Basin in open places, scrub, and woodland at elevations of 300 to 2,700 meters. Flowering from July to August, this plant produces small green-white flowers in sparse, widely spaced clusters along axillary and terminal panicles. Growing 30 to 80 centimeters tall with generally sparsely branched stems that are distinctively scented, it has an open, airy growth habit. Its leaves are narrowly lanceolate or elliptic-oblong, 8 to 40 millimeters long, prominently three-veined, with a tapered base and acute or rounded tip, appearing powdery on the underside. The fruit is small, approximately 1 to 1.5 millimeters in diameter, with a glandular-roughened wall.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 29 sympatric species - distinctive sparse inflorescence, scented, prominently 3-veined leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open places, scrub, woodland
Elevation: 300-2700 m
Outside California: to Wyoming, New Mexico
Bloom period
Chenopodium hians blooms Jul-Aug.
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 hians native to California?
Yes. Chenopodium hians is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Chenopodium hians bloom?
Chenopodium hians blooms Jul-Aug.
What plant family does Chenopodium hians belong to?
Chenopodium hians is in the Chenopodiaceae family, genus Chenopodium.
What habitat does Chenopodium hians grow in?
Chenopodium hians grows in Open places, scrub, woodland.
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.