Blitum virgatum L. (syn.: Chenopodium foliosum Aschers., C. virgatum (L.) Ambr.) (Euras., N-Afr.) – A rare and often ephemeral but locally naturalised alien. History and distribution of Blitum virgatum in Belgium much resemble that of B. capitatum. Formerly cultivated and sometimes escaping, especially in the 19th century. Contrary to Blitum capitatum several records are clearly no escapes. Seen, for instance, as a wool alien in the Vesdre valley, probably also as a grain alien. Much decreasing in the 20th century. However, discovered in abundance in 1997 on gravelly, bare ground in an industrial site in the port of Gent (Sidmar plant) (Verloove 2002). Probably introduced with ore and obviously naturalised. In the past years increasingly recorded in the surroundings of but well outside the Sidmar plant (possibly spread by birds?). Occasionally seen elsewhere, for instance on a demolition site in Mol in 2008.
In the Netherlands naturalised and not rare in more or less disturbed, nitrophilous sites in sea dunes (van der Meijden 2005).
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References
Engstrand L. & Gustafsson M. (1972) Drawings of Scandinavian plants 81-82. Chenopodium L. Bot. Notiser 125: 283-286.
Havrenne A. (1982) Trouvailles floristiques. Chenopodium foliosum dans la region de Charleroi. Nat. Mosana 35(4): 141.
Jansen P.L. (1988) Über eine Asperugo procumbens-Chenopodium foliosum-Gesellschaft im Kleinen Fleißtal/Goldberggruppe. Carinthia II, 179: 383-389. [available online at: http://www.landesmuseum.at/pdf_frei_remote/CAR_178_98_0383-0389.pdf]
Melzer H. (1987) Chenopodium bonus-henricus x foliosum = Ch. x tkalcsicsii Melzer hybr. nov. - eine neue Hybride zweier sehr unterschiedlicher Arten. Berichte der Bayerischen Botanischen Gesellschaft 58: 73-77.
Van der Meijden R. (2005) Heukels’ Flora van Nederland (23e druk). Wolters-Noordhoff, Groningen: 685 p.
Vercruysse W. (2006) Chenopodium foliosum. In: Van Landuyt W., Hoste I., Vanhecke L., Van den Bremt P., Vercruysse W. & De Beer D., Atlas van de flora van Vlaanderen en het Brussels gewest. Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek, Nationale Plantentuin van België en Flo.Wer: 280.
Verloove F. (2002) Ingeburgerde plantensoorten in Vlaanderen. Mededeling van het Instituut voor Natuurbehoud n° 20: 227 p.