Chenopodiastrum murale (L.) S.Fuentes, Uotila & Borsch

An annual plant. It grows to 20-100 cm high and spreads to 1 m across. The stem is erect and branching. The stems are green. The leaves are green and shaped like a diamond. They are 8 cm long and have saw like teeth along the edges. The leaves have pale, mealy scales. The flowers are small. They occur in clusters at the top of the plant. The ripe seeds are black.

It grows in temperate and tropical places. It grows in most well drained soils in an open sunny position. It is drought and frost tender. In Papua New Guinea it occurs in the Eastern highlands. In Nepal it grows to about 1200 m altitude. In Bahrain it grows in sandy or gravelly soils. It can grow in salty soils. It can grow in arid places. Tasmania Herbarium.

CAUTION: This plant can accumulate nitrates which are poisonous. This gets worse in high nitrogen soils. The tender leaves have been eaten cooked as a vegetable. They are also used as a sauce. The seeds are parched and ground and made into porridge or popped like popcorn.

Plants are grown from seed.