Maple-leaved Goosefoot - what to look for
American Maple leaved goosefoot Chenopodiastrum simplex is an annual plant native to Manitoba that is found in shady wooded places. It has distinctive sharp pointed lobed leaves and rather plain small flowers in straggly clusters.
https://inaturalist.ca/taxa/878051-Chenopodiastrum-simplex
There is a similar plant Eurasian Maple-leaved Goosefoot Chenopodiastrum hybridum found in Europe and Asia that is indistinguishable from C. simplex unless the seeds are present. As C. simplex has been introduced in Europe in some locations this makes life more challenging for identifiers of these two species in those regions.
https://inaturalist.ca/taxa/896902-Chenopodiastrum-hybridum
"In Europe and North America the C. hybridum aggregate comprises two well-delimited taxa, viz. C. hybridum in Europe and C. simplex (see rare casuals) in North America. In Asia it is represented by several taxa. A specimen from S Upl Sollentuna (Rotebro) 1925 belongs to one of these, having large leaf-blades and large seeds with coarsely rugulose but not pitted seed-coat.https://www.gbif.org/species/3083901/treatmentsSimilar taxa. Chenopodium hybridum is vegetatively indistinguishable from the North American C. simplex (rare casual), but clearly different in seed characters."
https://www.gbif.org/species/3083901/treatments
Range maps for C. hybridum do not show that the plant is not currently reported as persistent in North America. When it does appear it is likely associated with recent importation of seed material. Observers who believe that they have found C, hybridum in North America should include detailed images of the seeds to support their identification.
Identifiers who wish to indicate that the observation is one of these two can use the Complex Chenopodiastrum simplex / Maple-leaved Goosefoot Complex instead of either species.
https://inaturalist.ca/taxa/1398662-Chenopodiastrum-simplex
Range map for C. simplex Plants of the World Online
https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77121011-1
Range map for C. hybridum Plants of the World Online
https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:77121009-1
Help reduce the over identification of the Eurasian plant in North America/
