Chenopodiaceae: Characters, Economic Importance, Distribution and Types

Diagnostic characters of Chenopodiaceae:

1. Habit: Annual, or perennial herbs; very rare shrubs, or tree. Most of the plants are halophytes (salt tolerant). They have xerophytic characteristics. They grow on saline soil.

2. Roots: Mostly fibrous tap root except beat which has tuberous root.

3. Stem: Herbaceous; Cylindrical; dense covering of hairs on stem.

4. Leaves: Their leaves are fleshy; alternate; simple; exstipulate; often scale like; some are completely leafless.

5. Inflorescence: Dense cymose clusters with uniparous or biparous or both. These clusters are arranged on panicles or spike.

6. Flower: Pedicillate; ebracteate; actinomorphic; regular; incomplete; hermaphrodite (rarely unisexual); hypogynous;

7. Perianth: 3 perianth leaves.

8. Stamens: 5 stamens or variable; free; opposite to perianth.

9. Carpel: Bicarpellary, syncarpous with unilocular superior ovary; basal placentation. 

10. Fruits: Indehiscent nut. Often enclose by persistant perianth.

11. Seed: Endospermic or non-endospermic. 

Floral formula of Chenopodiaceae:

Floral diagram of Chenopodiaceae:

Economic Importance of Chenopodiaceae:

1. Vegetables: The Chenopodiaceae family gives some very vital vegetables. Their leaves and stems are succulents and used as green vegetables. Some of these are:

i- Spinach, ii- Chenopodium Album, iii- and Garden Beet. 

2. Source of cane sugar: Sugar beet is a very good source of sugar. About 1/3 sugar of the world is extracted from sugar beet and which belongs to the family Chenopodiaceae. 

3. Fodder: Chenopodiaceae has great value as fodder. None of its members are poisonous in nature. Some of the fodders of Chenopodiaceae are:

i- Salsala, ii- Artiplex.

4. Reclamation of alkaline soil: Most members of Chenopodiaceae family are halophytes (such plants that grows in soil of water or max. salinity conditions). They generally grow on alkaline soil and absorb salts from it. 

5. Washing soda: The ashes of Salsala and Suaeda member of the family Chenopodiaceae yields washing soda. 

6. Ornamental plants: Some plants of Chenopodiaceae family are grown in houses, parks and gardens for ornamental purposes. Some of these are:

i- Kochia scroparia ii- and Kochia trichophylla. 

7. Weeds: Some plants of Chenopodiaceae family are dangerous weeds. i- Salsala, ii- Chenopodium are very important weeds around the globe. 

8. Medicinal uses: Some members of Chenopodiaceae family give different medicinal products. Oil of Chenopodium is used against hookworm.

Distribution pattern of Chenopodiaceae:

The Chenopodiaceae family consists of 102 genera and 1400 species. Chenopodiaceae has a worldwide distribution. Members are abundantly found in sea shore and marshy places.

Common species of Chenopodiaceae:

(a) Beta valgaris (Sugar beet).

(b) Chenopodium album.

(c) Spinacea oleracea (Spinach).

(d) Spinacea glabra (Summer spinach).