Plants and Animals
Chenopodium berlandieri Pit-seed goosefoot
Key Characteristics
Erect annual herb of disturbed soil; 10 to 100 cm tall; leaves with mealy coating (i.e., farinose) on underside; perianth farinose; and seeds 1.7 to 2.0 mm broad with distinct pitted or regular honeycomb pattern. Resembles C. album, which differs in having smooth seeds.
Status and Rank
US Status: No Status/Not Listed
State Status: SC - Special Concern (rare or uncertain; not legally protected)
Global Rank: G5 - Secure
State Rank: SNR - Not ranked
Occurrences
| County | Number of Occurrences | Year Last Observed |
|---|---|---|
| Berrien | 1 | 1910 |
| Kalamazoo | 1 | 1940 |
| Keweenaw | 1 | 1901 |
| Livingston | 1 | 1941 |
Information is summarized from MNFI's database of rare species and community occurrences. Data may not reflect true distribution since much of the state has not been thoroughly surveyed.
Habitat
Found in exposed soil disturbed by cultivation, and also in natural habitats including alluvial deposits in floodplains, and swamps. This species is widespread in North America, owing in part to the fact that it was first cultivated by Native Americans nearly 4,000 years before present.
Natural Community Types
For each species, lists of natural communities were derived from review of the nearly 6,500 element occurrences in the MNFI database, in addition to herbarium label data for some taxa. In most cases, at least one specimen record exists for each listed natural community. For certain taxa, especially poorly collected or extirpated species of prairie and savanna habitats, natural community lists were derived from inferences from collection sites and habitat preferences in immediately adjacent states (particularly Indiana and Illinois). Natural communities are not listed for those species documented only from altered or ruderal habitats in Michigan, especially for taxa that occur in a variety of habitats outside of the state.
Natural communities are not listed in order of frequency of occurrence, but are rather derived from the full set of natural communities, organized by Ecological Group. In many cases, the general habitat descriptions should provide greater clarity and direction to the surveyor. In future versions of the Rare Species Explorer, we hope to incorporate natural community fidelity ranks for each taxon.
Associated Plants
Other mostly annual species of disturbed ground, including sandbur (Cenchrus longispinus), and pepper grass (Lepidium spp.).
Management Recommendations
This species would benefit from a status survey in areas with disturbed soil throughout Michigan. Benefits from soil disturbance, either through cultivation or natural disturbances such as flooding and fire.
Survey Methods
Random meander search covers areas that appear likely to have rare taxa, based on habitat and the judgment of the investigator.
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Meander search
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Survey Period: From first week of August to fourth week of September
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References
Survey References
- Elzinga, C.L., D.W. Salzer, and J.W. Willoughby. 1998. Measuring and Monitoring Plant Populations. The Nature Conservancy and Bureau of Land Management, Denver. BLM Technical Reference 1730-1. 477pp.
- Goff, G.F., G.A. Dawson, and J.J. Rochow. 1982. Site examination for Threatened and Endangered plant species. Environmental Management 6(4): 307-316
- Nelson, J.R. 1984. Rare Plant Field Survey Guidelines. In: J.P. Smith and R. York. Inventory of rare and endangered vascular plants of California. 3rd Ed. California Native Plant Society, Berkeley. 174pp.
- Nelson, J.R. 1986. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques For Impact Assessment. Natural Areas Journal 5(3):18-30.
- Nelson, J.R. 1987. Rare Plant Surveys: Techniques for Impact Assessment. In: Conservation and management of rare and endangered plants. Ed. T.S. Elias. California Native Plant Society, Sacramento. 8pp.
Technical References
- Clemants, S.E. 1990. Juncaceae (Rush Family) of New York State. Bulletin Number 475. New York State Museum, Albany, NY. 67 pp.
- Gleason, H. A., and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second edition. The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 910pp.
- Gray, A. 1950. Gray's Manual of Botany; eighth ed. Van Nostrand Reinghold, New York. 1632pp.
- Halwas, S., and A.C. Hurley. 2019. Incorporating Chenopodium berlandieri into a seasonal subsistence pattern: Implications of biological traits for cultural choices. Journal of Ethnobiology 39(4): 510–529.
- Holmgren, N.H. 1998. Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist's Manual. Illustrations of the vascular plants of Northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. 937pp.
- Reznicek, A.A., E.G. Voss, and B.S. Walters. 2011. Chenopodium berlandieri Moq. Michigan Flora. Michigan Flora Online. University of Michigan. Web. Available at: https://www.michiganflora.net/species.aspx?id=2867 [Accessed March 31, 2020].
- Smith, B.D., and R.A. Yarnell. 2009. Initial formation of an indigenous crop complex in eastern North America at 3800 B.P. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 106(16): 6561–6566.
- Voss, E.G., and A.A. Reznicek. 2012. Field Manual of Michigan Flora. University of Michigan Press, Ann Arbor, MI. 1008 pp.