Lamb's Quarters or Pigweed, Chenopodium album
Chenopodiaceae or Goosefoot Family

Plant

Small to tall weedy plant, one-half to 6 feet tall. Larger leaves egg-shaped, with a broad V-shape at the base and irregular teeth.. Smaller leaves oval. Underside of leaves whitened with tiny scales. Flowrs tiny, in small clusters, greenish to whitish. Blooms in summer.

Very common alien weed of yards, gardens, and waste places. Came over from Europe with settlers and used as a potherb. Relatively uncommon in Park, but to be expected along the Riverway bikepath, along Wildwood Drive and in the Great South Meadow.

The tiny, homely flowers and the distinctive leaves are good identification marks.

Flowers
Leaf

 

Underside of leaf