CHENOPODIUM. (Xeo-Lat., from Gk. xi,' p, c/u•n, goose putts, foot). A genus of plants of the order Cheimpodincew. sonic species of which are well known by the name of goosefoot, as weeds in gardens, on heaps of rub bish. and in waste places. The species are mostly annuals. with entire or toothed leaves. which in some ea,es have a sort of mealy hoariness. They are mostly natives of Europe, and of the tem perate parts of Asia: but some are natives of America. into which. however, some of the com mon European species have found their way, and are naturalized as weeds. The genus has hermaphrodite flowers with perianth of live small green scales, five stamens. and solitary flat seed.. The' leaves of many species are used as a sub stitute for spinach. particularly those of the good-lIcnry. Wild spinach, or English liter enry (('hrnopodium Tionlis-hril Heirs). at perennial plant, native of Itreat Britain and other parts of Europe. often found growing by waysides, with stem more than a foot high, powdered with mi nute, transparent globules, and large, alternate. triangular, arrow-shaped, entire leaves. It is cultivated in some plaees, particularly in Lin colnshire, chiefly for the leaves, but the young shoots are also used as asparagus. Chenopodium arbi•um, Chenopodium etc.. annuals com mon in waste places. are also excellent substi tutes for spinach. Chcfloporlium olidum and Chenopodinin (stinking goose foot), an nuals with an extremely 1111useous odor. growing
in waste places in Great Britain and elsewhere. especially near the sea, are popular medicines, in much repute as antispasmodics and emmena gogues, rhenopodium bolrys. a native of the south of Europe, with pinnatifid leaves resem bling those of the oak. and hence called Jerusa lem oak, is in use as an expectorant and anthel mintie. It is not fetid like the species last named. hut agreealily fragrant. (qt °pod inn? mnbrosioides has a strong aromatic odor, is used in Mexico instead of tea, and is much cultivated in France. an infusion of it being deemed useful in nervous disorders. The same species, known in the United States as wiirmwed, has a strong and somewhat ananatie odor. and enjoys a high reputation as a verinifuge. Its seeds are chiefly used, or the essential oil extracted from tlwm, called oil of %vo•niseed. More important than any of these specie-, as affording an im portant article of food in the eountries of Smith America, of which it is a native. is quinoa (Clicnorodium gitinoul, the seeds of whirl are large and abundant and are extensively used. The coast Mite (rhenopodium ritl»-inal and the Strawberry blite (('henoporlium eqpitatum, for merly known as Blitum maritimum and Valium ropitatum) are indigenous species along the sea coast, about the Great Lakes and westward.