Common names often applied to members of this genus Include goosefoot, lamb's quarter, and occasionally pigweed. Well known as a campfollower, Chenopodium is most often found in disturbed soil with in close proximity of human settlements or constructions. Domesticated Chenopods Domesticated species of Chenopodium known today include Chenopodium nuttalliae from central Mexico, and two varieties of Chenopodium quinoa from the Andes of South America. From the prehistoric eastern woodlands of North America, it is hypothesized that there once existed a now extinct domesticated chenopod named Chenopodium bushianum ssp. Economic Uses Chenopods have long been recognized as a valuable resource for exploitation as food.
Cultivation requires a minimum of energy and labor investment.
The prodigious yields derived from chenopods are also an important factor in terms of its value as a economic resource. These seeds are ground for bread making, added to soups and gruel, and fermented with millet seed into alcoholic beverages such as chicha. C. quinoa is also highly prized by local Indians as a pot-herb, both cooked and raw. There remains a great deal of uncertainty concerning the origin and evolutionary relationships of chenopodium. Furthermore, Wilson and Heiser concluded that the Mexican domesticate is not the result of diffusion of quinoa from South America.