Chenopodium strictum var. glaucophyllum
White leaved goosefoot
(c) Patrick Hacker, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Patrick Hacker · licence
Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Chenopodium strictum var. glaucophyllum (White leaved goosefoot) is a non-native California herb in the Chenopodiaceae family, recognized by distinctive narrow lanceolate leaves with parallel sides and white powdery coating.
White leaved goosefoot is a naturalized annual found in central California, including the Sierra Nevada, Great Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, southern Coast Ranges, southern California, and desert mountains at elevations below 1,700 meters in open, disturbed places. Flowering from August to October, this plant produces white-margined flowers in simple and occasionally branched spikes. Growing with ascending proximal branches 45 to 100 centimeters tall, it has an upright and somewhat open structure. Its leaves are 15 to 25 millimeters long, lanceolate to lance-oblong with nearly parallel sides, finely serrated, and tapering to a truncate base with an obtuse tip. The small horizontal seeds are approximately 1.2 millimeters in diameter, with a black, smooth, and shiny seed coat.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 27 sympatric species; distinctive narrow lanceolate leaves with parallel sides and white powdery coating
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, disturbed places
Elevation: < 1700 m
Outside California: to Canada, native to eastern United States
Bloom period
Chenopodium strictum var. glaucophyllum blooms Aug-Oct.
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 strictum var. glaucophyllum native to California?
No. Chenopodium strictum var. glaucophyllum is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Chenopodium strictum var. glaucophyllum bloom?
Chenopodium strictum var. glaucophyllum blooms Aug-Oct.
What plant family does Chenopodium strictum var. glaucophyllum belong to?
Chenopodium strictum var. glaucophyllum is in the Chenopodiaceae family, genus Chenopodium.
What habitat does Chenopodium strictum var. glaucophyllum grow in?
Chenopodium strictum var. glaucophyllum grows in Open, disturbed places.
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.