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Fat Hen |
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Chenopodium album |
![]() Photo ©
Carl Farmer |
Occasional on bare waste ground, rubbish heaps etc. Flower diameter c 2-4 mm Skye ID: Similar to oraches, but told from them in flower by having both stamens and styles in the same flower. The fruit is enclosed by five equal sepals rather than 2 large bracts as in oraches. Told from Sea Beet by at least the lower leaves being toothed. Other features: Plant often mealy, especially early in year. Leaves very variable, typically widest at a point well below the middle, narrowing from there with two straightish untoothed sides to the V-shaped base, and with straightish toothed sides to the tip. Flowers in ball-like clusters, which are themselves arranged in spikes, and these in turn arranged in leafy super-spikes. Each flower has 5 green equal sepals, 5 yellow stamens and 2-3 styles. |
![]() Photo ©
Carl Farmer |
![]() Photo ©
Carl Farmer |
![]() Photo ©
Carl Farmer |
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| Each 5-pointed "star" is a calyx of 5 sepals surrounding a fruit; these are grouped into balls as shown.
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![]() Photo ©
Carl Farmer |