30-601: Chenopodium album is a fast-growing annual plant in the flowering plant family Amaranthaceae . Though cultivated in some regions, the plant is elsewhere considered a weed . Common names include lamb's quarters , melde , goosefoot , wild spinach and fat-hen , though the latter two are also applied to other species of the genus Chenopodium , for which reason it is often distinguished as white goosefoot . It tends to grow upright at first, reaching heights of 10–150 centimetres (4–60 in), rarely to 3 metres; 10'); it then typically becomes recumbent after flowering (due to
60-516: A leaf vegetable . The flower buds and flowers can also be eaten cooked. Each plant produces tens of thousands of black seeds . Quinoa , a closely related species, is grown specifically for its seeds. The Zuni people cook the young plants' greens. Archaeologists analysing carbonized plant remains found in storage pits and ovens at Iron Age , Viking Age, and Roman sites in Europe have found its seeds mixed with conventional grains and even inside
90-709: A vegetable , sometimes accompanied by tender petioles and shoots . Leaf vegetables eaten raw in a salad can be called salad greens . Nearly one thousand species of plants with edible leaves are known. Leaf vegetables most often come from short-lived herbaceous plants , such as lettuce and spinach . Woody plants of various species also provide edible leaves. The leaves of many fodder crops are also edible for humans, but are usually only eaten under famine conditions. Examples include alfalfa , clover , and most grasses , including wheat and barley . Food processing , such as drying and grinding into powder or pulping and pressing for juice, may involve these crop leaves in
120-491: A curry and served with rice. As some of the common names suggest, it is also used as feed (both the leaves and the seeds) for chickens and other poultry . The juice of this plant is a potent ingredient for a mixture of wall plaster, according to the Samarāṅgaṇa Sūtradhāra , which is a Sanskrit treatise dealing with Śilpaśāstra (Hindu science of art and construction). In Ayurveda traditional medicine , bathua
150-498: A diet. Leaf vegetables contain many typical plant nutrients, but their vitamin K levels are particularly notable since they are photosynthetic tissues. Phylloquinone , the most common form of the vitamin, is directly involved in photosynthesis . Spinach, as an example of a leaf vegetable, is low in calories and fat per calorie, and high in dietary fiber , vitamin C , pro- vitamin A carotenoids , folate , manganese and vitamin K . The vitamin K content of leaf vegetables
180-638: A grain or vegetable crop (such as in lieu of spinach), as well as animal feed in Asia and Africa, whereas in Europe and North America, it is commonly regarded as a weed in places such as potato fields, while in Australia it is naturalised in all states and regarded as an environmental weed in New South Wales , Victoria , Western Australia and the Northern Territory . While var. album
210-472: A higher persistence of soil seed banks . These differences in life history strategies profoundly affect ecosystem functioning and services. For instance, annuals, by allocating less resources belowground, play a more minor role in reducing erosion, storing organic carbon, and achieving lower nutrient- and water-use efficiencies than perennials. The distinctions between annual and perennial plants are notably evident in agricultural contexts. Despite constituting
240-682: A minor part of global biomass, annual species stand out as the primary food source for humankind, likely owing to their greater allocation of resources to seed production, thereby enhancing agricultural productivity. In the Anthropocene epoch, marked by human impact on the environment, there has been a substantial increase in the global cover of annuals. This shift is primarily attributed to the conversion of natural systems, often dominated by perennials, into annual cropland. Currently, annual plants cover approximately 70% of croplands and contribute to around 80% of worldwide food consumption. In 2008, it
270-601: A unique scenario unfolds: when annuals establish dominance, perennials do not necessarily supplant them. This peculiarity is attributed to alternative stable states in the system—both annual dominance and perennial states prove stable, with the ultimate system state dependent on the initial conditions. Annual plants commonly exhibit a higher growth rate, allocate more resources to seeds, and allocate fewer resources to roots than perennials. In contrast to perennials, which feature long-lived plants and short-lived seeds, annual plants compensate for their lower longevity by maintaining
300-451: A whitish coat on the underside. The small flowers are radially symmetrical and grow in small cymes on a dense branched inflorescence 10–40 cm (4" to 16") long. Further, the flowers are bisexual and female, with five tepals which are mealy on outer surface, and shortly united at the base. There are five stamens. Chenopodium album has a complex taxonomy and has been divided into numerous microspecies, subspecies and varieties, but it
330-498: Is a traditional dish in soul food and Southern U.S. cuisine . They are also commonly eaten in South Asian dishes such as saag . Leafy greens can be used to wrap other ingredients into an edible package like a tortilla . Many green leafy vegetables, such as lettuce or spinach, can also be eaten raw, for example, in sandwiches or salads . A green smoothie enables large quantities of raw leafy greens to be consumed by blending
SECTION 10
#1732775433998360-453: Is considered invasive in some regions of the U.S., var. missouriense is native. It is one of the more robust and competitive weeds, exceptionally capable of colonizing new areas. It may produce up to 50 million seeds per hectare, its seeds remain viable 30 to 40 years in the soil, and it exhibits high phenotype plasticity, modifying its growth form for the conditions it is in. It may be controlled by dark tillage, rotary hoeing, or flaming when
390-473: Is difficult to differentiate between them. The following varieties are accepted by Plants of the World Online : Its native range is obscure due to extensive cultivation, but includes most of Europe , from where Carl Linnaeus described the species in 1753. Plants native to eastern Asia are included under C. album , but often differ from European specimens. According to Plants of the World Online ,
420-444: Is higher than seedling (or seed) mortality, i.e., annuals will dominate environments with disturbances or high temporal variability, reducing adult survival. This hypothesis finds support in observations of increased prevalence of annuals in regions with hot-dry summers, with elevated adult mortality and high seed persistence. Furthermore, the evolution of the annual life cycle under hot-dry summer in different families makes it one of
450-533: Is particularly high since these are photosynthetic tissues, and phylloquinone is involved in photosynthesis . Accordingly, users of vitamin K antagonist medications, such as warfarin , must take special care to limit the consumption of leaf vegetables. If leaves are cooked for food, they may be referred to in the United States as boiled greens . Leaf vegetables may be stir-fried , stewed , steamed , or consumed raw. Leaf vegetables stewed with pork
480-510: Is thought to be useful for treating various diseases, although there is no clinical evidence such uses are safe or effective. Annual plant An annual plant is a plant that completes its life cycle , from germination to the production of seeds , within one growing season , and then dies. Globally, 6% of all plant species and 15% of herbaceous plants (excluding trees and shrubs) are annuals. The annual life cycle has independently emerged in over 120 different plant families throughout
510-500: Is used as broth . Water in which pokeweed has been prepared contains toxins that have been removed by boiling and should be discarded. Sauteed escarole is a primary ingredient in the Italian-American dish Utica greens . Postharvest diseases cause up to 50% losses of leaf vegetables. These are fungal , bacterial , and much less commonly viral . The most important remedy is temperature-controlled storage, although it
540-439: The "bathue ka raita" i.e. the raita (yogurt dip) made with bathua, is commonly eaten in winters. In Nepal , it is known as bethe or bethu . It is used to make a dish known as saag . The leaves are stir-fried with spices, chilli and diced garlic. A fermented dish known as masaura is also made by dipping the leaves in a lentil batter with spices and then dried in sun for some days. The fermented masaura can be made into
570-469: The area and season, including black mustard , dandelion , wild sorrel , chicory , fennel , chard , kale , mallow , black nightshade , lamb's quarters , wild leeks , hoary mustard , charlock , smooth sow thistle and even the fresh leaves of the caper plant. Preboggion , a mixture of different wild boiled leaf vegetables, is used in Ligurian cuisine to stuff ravioli and pansoti . One of
600-483: The best examples of convergent evolution . Additionally, annual prevalence is also positively affected by year-to-year variability. Globally, the prevalence of annual plants shows an upward trend with an increasing human footprint. Moreover, domestic grazing has been identified as contributing to the heightened abundance of annuals in grasslands. Disturbances linked to activities like grazing and agriculture, particularly following European settlement, have facilitated
630-687: The crop to be protected. It is a host plant for the beet leafhopper , an insect which transmits curly top virus to beet crops. Raw lamb's quarters are 84% water, 7% carbohydrates, 4% protein, and 1% fat. In a 100 gram reference amount, lamb's quarters provide 43 calories, and are a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of vitamin C (96% DV), vitamin A (73% DV), riboflavin (37% DV), vitamin B6 (21% DV), manganese (37% DV), and calcium (31% DV), with several other dietary minerals in lesser amounts. The leaves and young shoots may be eaten raw or cooked as
SECTION 20
#1732775433998660-493: The entire angiosperm phylogeny. Traditionally, there has been a prevailing assumption that annuals have evolved from perennial ancestors. However, recent research challenges this notion, revealing instances where perennials have evolved from annual ancestors. Intriguingly, models propose that transition rates from an annual to a perennial life cycle are twice as fast as the reverse transition. The life-history theory posits that annual plants are favored when adult mortality
690-525: The invasion of annual species from Europe and Asia into the New World. In various ecosystems, the dominance of annual plants is often a temporary phase during secondary succession , particularly in the aftermath of disturbances. For instance, after fields are abandoned, annuals may initially colonize them but are eventually replaced by long-lived species. However, in certain Mediterranean systems,
720-529: The leaves with fruit and water. In certain countries of Africa, various species of nutritious amaranth are widely eaten boiled. Celosia argentea var. argentea or "Lagos spinach" is one of the main boiled greens in West African cuisine . In Greek cuisine , khorta (χόρτα, literally 'greens') are a typical side dish, eaten hot or cold and usually seasoned with olive oil and lemon . At least 80 different kinds of greens are used, depending on
750-746: The main ingredients of preboggion are borage (Borago officinalis) leaves. Preboggion is also sometimes added to minestrone soup and frittata . Botwinka (or boćwinka) is a soup that features beet stems and leaves as one of its main ingredients. The word "botwinka" is the diminutive form of "botwina" which refers to leafy vegetables like chard and beet leaves. In the cuisine of the Southern United States and traditional African-American cuisine , turnip , collard , kale , garden cress , dandelion , mustard , and pokeweed greens are commonly cooked and often served with pieces of ham or bacon . The boiling water, called potlikker ,
780-405: The plants are small. Crop rotation of small grains will suppress an infestation. It is easily controlled with a number of pre-emergence herbicides. Its pollen may contribute to hay fever -like allergies . Chenopodium album is vulnerable to leaf miners , making it a useful trap crop as a companion plant . Growing near other plants, it attracts leaf miners which might otherwise have attacked
810-624: The species' natural distribution includes temperate Eurasia from western Europe to China and the Russian Far East, the Indian subcontinent, North Africa, Ethiopia, and the eastern and central United States. It is widely naturalized elsewhere, such as in Africa , Australasia , North America, and Oceania , and now occurs almost everywhere (except Antarctica ) in soils rich in nitrogen , especially on wasteland. The species are cultivated as
840-572: The stomachs of Danish bog bodies . In India, the plant is called bathua and is found abundantly in the winter season. The leaves and young shoots of this plant are used in dishes such as soups, curries, and paratha -stuffed breads, common in North India . The seeds or grains are used in phambra , gruel -type dishes in Himachal Pradesh , and in mildly alcoholic fermented beverages such as soora and ghanti . In Haryana state,
870-486: The weight of the foliage and seeds) unless supported by other plants. The leaves are alternate and varied in appearance. The first leaves, near the base of the plant, are toothed and roughly diamond-shaped, 3–7 cm (1" to 3") long and 3–6 cm (1" to 2") broad. The leaves on the upper part of the flowering stems are entire and lanceolate-rhomboid, 1–5 cm (½" to 2") long and 0.4–2 cm (¼" to 1") broad; they are waxy-coated, unwettable and mealy in appearance, with
900-539: Was discovered that the inactivation of only two genes in one species of annual plant leads to its conversion into a perennial plant . Researchers deactivated the SOC1 and FUL genes (which control flowering time) of Arabidopsis thaliana . This switch established phenotypes common in perennial plants, such as wood formation. Leaf vegetable Leaf vegetables , also called leafy greens , pot herbs , vegetable greens , or simply greens , are plant leaves eaten as
#997002