Dysphania multifida
Cut leaved goosefoot
(c) Scott Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: Subshrub · Not Native
Dysphania multifida (Cut leaved goosefoot) is a non-native California subshrub in the Chenopodiaceae family, recognized by clearly distinguished by deeply divided, narrow-lobed leaves.
Cut leaved goosefoot is a naturalized annual herb found in northwestern California, central Sierra Nevada foothills, northern Sacramento Valley, coastal western California, southern California coast, and Channel Islands including San Nicolas and Santa Rosa islands in disturbed areas at elevations below 1,400 meters. Flowering from July to October, this plant produces small green flowers in tight clusters less than 5 millimeters in diameter. Growing with spreading to decumbent branches 8 to 50 centimeters tall and glandular stems, it creates a delicate, open structure. Its leaves are sessile with oblong to elliptic blades 3 to 45 millimeters long, deeply and irregularly divided into narrow linear lobes with minute glandular undersides. The fruit is a small ovoid seed approximately 1 millimeter in diameter, dark brown-black, warty, and shiny.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; clearly distinguished by deeply divided, narrow-lobed leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas
Elevation: < 1400 m
Outside California: to eastern North America, native to South America
Bloom period
Dysphania multifida blooms Jul-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Artemisia: Dysphania has sticky glandular hairs; Artemisia has fine silky or woolly hairs.; vs Amaranthus: Dysphania is sticky-glandular; Amaranthus is smooth with dense flower spikes.; vs Erigeron: Dysphania has tiny greenish clustered flowers; Erigeron has obvious ray flowers.; vs Baccharis: Dysphania is herbaceous annual; Baccharis is woody shrub.; vs Ambrosia: Dysphania has sticky leaves; Ambrosia has divided leaves without sticky glands.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dysphania multifida native to California?
No. Dysphania multifida is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Dysphania multifida bloom?
Dysphania multifida blooms Jul-Oct.
What plant family does Dysphania multifida belong to?
Dysphania multifida is in the Chenopodiaceae family, genus Dysphania.
What habitat does Dysphania multifida grow in?
Dysphania multifida grows in Disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Dysphania pumilio — Tasmanian goosefoot
- Dysphania sp. — Mexican tea
- Dysphania ambrosioides — Mexican tea
- Dysphania anthelmintica — Wormseed
- Dysphania atriplicifolia — Winged pigweed, tumble ringwing
- Dysphania botrys — Jerusalem oak
- Extriplex californica — California orach
- Extriplex joaquinana — San joaquin spearscale
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.