Chenopodium ambrosioides var. ambrosioides

"Notes: Western Ghats & Eastern Ghats, Naturalized, Native of Tropical America"

This introduced plant is a summer annual about 2-5' tall (in more tropical climates, it is a perennial). More or less erect, Mexican Tea branches occasionally to frequently; Small side branches frequently develop from the axils of the leaves. The stems are terete to slightly angular, hairless, conspicuously veined, and variably colored – often some combination of olive green, dull red, and cream. The alternate leaves are up to 4" long and 1½" across; they are ovate to narrowly ovate, medium green to yellow-green or red-green, and hairless. The bases of these leaves are always wedge-shaped and never rounded. The leaf undersides are never white-mealy. The leaf margins are highly variable, even on the same plant – smooth, undulate, bluntly dentate, or somewhat pinnatifid. The upper leaves are smaller in size than the moderate to lower leaves, and their leaf margins are more smooth. Both the stems and leaves have minute glands that secrete an aromatic oil; they exude a somewhat musky medicinal scent. The upper stems and smaller side stems terminate in spikes of sessile flowers (up to 1' long) that are interspersed with small leafy bracts. The small greenish flowers are arranged in dense clusters along these spikes. Each flower is a little less than ¼" across, consisting of 5 green sepals, a rather flat pistil with tiny styles, and 5 stamens with large white anthers. The small sepals are ovate in shape and curved inward; they are neither hairy nor white-mealy. The anthers are the most conspicuous part of the flower. The blooming period occurs from mid-summer into the fall and lasts 2-3 months. The bisexual flowers are wind-pollinated, although they can also self-pollinate themselves. Each flower is replaced by a single tiny seed (achene); a thin membrane surrounding the seed is rather loose and easily removed. The seeds are round, flattened, black, and shiny; they are small enough to be blown about by the wind. The root system consists of a taproot.

Erect much branched, aromatic annual herb, rarely a short-lived perennial, up to 180 cm high. Stems green, rarely tinged red. Leaves mostly lanceolate, 3-14 cm long, green, with numerous yellow glands, especially below; margin, particularly of the lower leaves, with up to 10 irregular teeth. Minute flowers in sessile yellowish clusters or 'glomerules' along the ultimate branches, together forming large branched heads.

ambrosioides: resembling a species of Ambrosia, a genus in Asteraceae.

"Maharashtra: Pune, Raigad, Satara Karnataka: Chikmagalur, Coorg, Hassan, Mysore Kerala: Idukki, Kannur, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta Tamil Nadu: Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Nilgiri, Salem, Theni, Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchchirappalli"

"

Global Distribution

Native of Tropical America; widely introduced elsewhere

Indian distribution

State - Kerala, District/s: Palakkad, Kottayam, Idukki, Pathanamthitta, Kannur, Wayanad

"

Mexican Tea is occasional in the southern half of Illinois, becoming uncommon or absent in the northern half of the state. It was introduced from tropical America as a medicinal herb. Habitats include fields, roadsides, vacant lots, and waste areas. Mexican Tea is still cultivated in gardens, from where it occasionally escapes and manages to reseed itself. Disturbed habitats of a relatively open character are strongly preferred.

Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants:
China (Asia)
Colombia (South America)
Mexico (Mesoamerica)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Chenopodium ambrosioides var. ambrosioides :
Canada (North America)
Mexico (Mesoamerica)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Chenopodium ambrosioides var. suffruticosum (Willd.) Graebn.:
Chile (South America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Chenopodium integrifolium subsp. ramosissimum Worosh. ex Just:
Madagascar (Africa & Madagascar)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Chenopodium querciforme Murr:
Bolivia (South America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Chenopodium ambrosioides var. anthelminticum (L.) A. Gray:
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Ambrina ambrosioides (L.) Spach:
Canada (North America)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Chenopodium anthelminticum L.:
Madagascar (Africa & Madagascar)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Chenopodium integrifolium Vorosch.:
Madagascar (Africa & Madagascar)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Chenopodium obovatum Moq.:
Brazil (South America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Chenopodium retusum (Moq.) Moq.:
Argentina (South America)
Brazil (South America)
Uruguay (South America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Chenopodium ambrosioides L.:
Argentina (South America)
Australia (Oceania)
Belize (Mesoamerica)
Bolivia (South America)
Brazil (South America)
Chile (South America)
Costa Rica (Mesoamerica)
Ecuador (South America)
Equatorial Guinea (Africa & Madagascar)
French Guiana (South America)
Gabon (Africa & Madagascar)
Guatemala (Mesoamerica)
Guyana (South America)
Honduras (Mesoamerica)
Java (Asia)
Kenya (Africa & Madagascar)
Mexico (Mesoamerica)
Madagascar (Africa & Madagascar)
New Zealand (Oceania)
Panama (Mesoamerica)
Peru (South America)
Philippines (Asia)
Saudi Arabia (Asia)
Sulawesi (Asia)
Suriname (South America)
Tanzania (Africa & Madagascar)
Uganda (Africa & Madagascar)
United States (North America)
Caribbean (Caribbean)
South Africa (Africa & Madagascar)
Venezuela (South America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Ont., Que.; Ala., Ariz., Ark., Calif., Conn., Del., D.C., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., Ky., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Miss., Mo., Nebr., N.H., N.J., N.Mex., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.C., S.Dak., Tenn., Tex., Utah, Vt., Va., Wash., W.Va., Wis.; native to North America and South America, widely naturalized throughout the tropics and warm-temperate regions of the world.

Throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, particularly in South America

Canada

Origin: Exotic

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

United States

Origin: Exotic

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

Canada

Origin: Exotic

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

United States

Origin: Exotic

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Unknown/Undetermined

Confidence: Confident

Almost cosmopolitan; weed and relic of cultivation.

Distribution: Probably originating from tropical America. Earlier cultivated as medicinal plant and introduced in tropical and subtropical areas of the world, where it is commonly naturalized.

Herbs annual or perennial, 50-80 cm tall, with strong odor. Stem erect, much branched, striate, obtusely ribbed; branches usually slender, pubescent and articulated villous, sometimes subglabrous. Petiole short; leaf blade oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate, abaxially with scattered glands, slightly hairy around veins, adaxially glabrous, base attenuate, margin sparsely and irregularly coarsely serrate, apex acute or acuminate; lower leaves ca. 15 × 5 cm, upper ones gradually reduced and margin subentire. Flowers borne in upper leaf axils, usually 3-5 per glomerule, bisexual and female. Perianth segments (3 or)5, usually nearly closed in fruit. Stamens 5; anthers ca. 0.5 mm. Style obscure; stigmas 3(or 4), filiform, exserted from perianth. Utricle enclosed by perianth, depressed globose. Seed horizontal or oblique, black or dark red, sublustrous, ca. 0.7 mm in diam., glabrous, rim margin obtuse. Fl. and fr. over a lengthy period.

Plants annual. Stems erect to ascending, much-branched, 3-10(-15) dm, ± glandular-pubescent. Leaves aromatic, distal leaves sessile; petiole to 18 mm; blade ovate to oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate, proximal ones mostly lanceolate, 2-8(-12) × 0.5-4(-5.5) cm, base cuneate, margins entire, dentate, or laciniate, apex obtuse to attenuate, copiously gland-dotted (rarely glabrous). Inflorescences lateral spikes, 3-7 cm; glomerules globose, 1.5-2.3 mm diam.; bracts leaflike, lanceolate, oblanceolate, spatulate, or linear, 0.3-2.5 cm, apex obtuse, acute, or attenuate. Flowers: perianth segments 4-5, connate for ca. ¹/2 their length, distinct portion ovate, rounded abaxially, 0.7-1 mm, apex obtuse, glandular-pubescent, covering seed at maturity; stamens 4-5; stigmas 3. Achenes ovoid; pericarp nonadherent, rugose to smooth. Seeds horizontal or vertical, reddish brown, ovoid, 0.6-1 × 0.4-0.5 mm; seed coat rugose to smooth.

300-2600 m

Strongly aromatic, annual to short-lived perennial, variously pubescent especially on stem, and with sessile yellow glands especially on lower leaf surfaces. Stem to 80(-120) cm, ± erect, branches long, ascending. Leaves with 1 cm long petiole; blade 5-10 cm, lanceolate to elliptic, irregularly coarsely serrate, sometimes shallowly sinuate to almost entire, attenuate at base, acute to obtuse at apex; bracts entire, linear - lanceolate - narrowly obovate, uppermost very small. Inflorescence paniculate, flowers sessile in small, dense glomerules usually subtended by bracts and arranged spicately. Terminal flowers bisexual, perianth deeply 5-lobed, lobes cucullate, stamens usually 5; lateral flowers female, perianth connate, 5-toothed; teeth roundish on back; perianth herbacous, glabrous to sparsely pubescent. Stigmas usually 3-4, long, slender. Fruits falling with perianth. Pericarp free. Seeds mostly horizontal, sometimes oblique or vertical, brown, 0.6-0.8 mm in diameter, somewhat ovate to circular in outline, margin obtuse; testa almost smooth, sometimes with obscure shallow pits.

"Erect pungent smelling herbs, profusely branching. Leaves alternate, to 8 x 3 cm, elliptic to lanceolate, entire to deeply lobed, base attenuate, glabrous, membranous; upper leaves smaller. Flowers bisexual, minute, sessile, clustered in terminal and axillary cymes; perianth 5-lobed, herbaceous, green; stamens 5, free; ovary 1-celled, with solitary ovule; styles 3; stigmas 3. Fruit a utricle enclosed by the persistent perianth."

Chenopodium ambrosioides Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 219. 1753; Ambrina ambrosioides (Linnaeus) Spach, nom. illeg.; Atriplex ambrosioides (Linnaeus) Crantz; Blitum ambrosioides (Linnaeus) G. Beck.

Chenopodium ambrosioides Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 219. 1753; C. ambrosioides var. suffruticosum (Willdenow) Ascherson & Graebner; Teloxys ambrosioides (Linnaeus) W. A. Weber

Ambrina ambrosioides Spach in Hist. Nat. Veg. 4: 297. 1836; Chenopodium integrifolium Vorosch., Bot. Zhurn. 27: 42. 1942; Chenopodium suffruticosum Willd., Enum. Pl. Hort. Berol.: 290. 1809.

Mexican Tea is occasional in the southern half of Illinois, becoming uncommon or absent in the northern half of the state. It was introduced from tropical America as a medicinal herb. Habitats include fields, roadsides, vacant lots, and waste areas. Mexican Tea is still cultivated in gardens, from where it occasionally escapes and manages to reseed itself. Disturbed habitats of a relatively open character are strongly preferred.

River bottoms, dry lake beds, flower beds, waste areas; 0-700m.

Naturalized; often cultivated for medicine in N China. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Yunnan, Zhejiang [native to tropical America; now widely naturalized in tropical, subtropical, and warm-temperate regions of the world].

Field margins, gardens, yards, roadsides, stream sides.- s.l. 1430 m.

Information that is specific to Mexican Tea is lacking (except for grazing mammals), therefore faunal-floral relationships for Chenopodium spp. in general will be presented. I suspect that some insects are deterred by the toxicity of the floral oil, and don't feed on this species to same extent as other Chenopodium spp. The caterpillars of two skippers, Pholisora catullus (Common Sootywing) and Staphylus hayhurstii (Hayhurst's Scallopwing), feed on the leaves of Chenopodium spp. Other insect feeders include moth caterpillars, flea beetles, leaf beetles, plant bugs, and aphids (see the Insect Table for a listing of these species). The tiny seeds are eaten by many small songbirds, particularly sparrows (see the Bird Table); some upland gamebirds (e.g., Bobwhite, Hungarian Partridge, & Ring-Necked Pheasant) also eat the seeds or seedheads. Small rodents eat the seeds, including the Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel, White-Footed Mouse, and Prairie Deer Mouse. Because the foliage is toxic and probably distasteful, it is not eaten by grazing mammals; even goats refuse to eat this plant (see Georgia, 1913).

Fruiting summer-fall.

Fl. & Fr. Per.: April - January.

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 5
Specimens with Barcodes: 5
Species With Barcodes: 1

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Specimens with Barcodes: 13
Species With Barcodes: 1

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

Rounded Global Status Rank: TNR - Not Yet Ranked

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

Rounded Global Status Rank: GNR - Not Yet Ranked

These species are introduced in Switzerland.

Mexican Tea prefers full to partial sun and moist to slightly dry conditions. Growth is more robust in fertile loamy soil with abundant nitrogen, but it will adapt to other kinds of soil.