Cycloloma

Cycloloma
Cycloloma
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Core eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Amaranthaceae
Subfamily: Chenopodioideae
Genus: Cycloloma
Moq.
Species: C. atriplicifolium
Binomial name
Cycloloma atriplicifolium
(Spreng.) J.M.Coult.
Synonyms

Kochia atriplicifolia Spreng.

Cycloloma is a monotypic genus which contains the sole species Cycloloma atriplicifolium, which is known by the common names winged pigweed, tumble ringwing, plains tumbleweed,[1] and tumble-weed.[2] This plant is native to central North America, but it is spreading and has been occasionally reported in far-flung areas from California to Maine to the Canadian prairie. It is considered an introduced species outside of central North America. This is a bushy annual herb forming a rounded pale green clump which may exceed half a meter in height. It is very intricately branched, with toothed leaves occurring near the base. The spreading stems bear widely-spaced flowers are small immature fruits fringed with a nearly transparent membranous wing. In autumn, the plant forms a tumbleweed.[3] The fruit is a utricle about 2 millimeters long containing a single seed. The seeds were eaten as a food staple by Native American peoples including the Zuni and Hopi.

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