Inflorescence terminal and/or axillary, paniculate or cymose, frequently much reduced. Flowers bisexual or female, at least the terminal flower of any cluster usually bisexual. Perianth segments 3–5, free or variously fused. Stamens 5, or rarely 1–4, free or fused into a disc at the base. Stigmas 2–4.
Pericarp membranous, rarely succulent. Seed either falling free or enclosed in perianth.
| | Key to the species | |
| 1 | Perennial shrubs, usually more than 50 cm high | 2 |
| Annual or perennial herbs, or if shrubby, then less than 50 cm high | 4 |
| 2 | Spinescent shrub with spathulate to linear leaves | Chenopodium nitrariaceum |
| Non-spiny shrubs; leaves elliptic to hastate
Back to 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Fruit succulent; leaves densely hairy, 1–15 mm long | Chenopodium curvispicatum |
| Fruit dry; leaves glabrescent above, mealy below, at least some more than 20 mm long
Back to 2 | Chenopodium auricomum |
| 4 | Perianth either glabrous or slightly mealy and not shed with fruit | 5 |
| Perianth mealy; perianth shed with the fruit enclosed
Back to 1 | 7 |
| 5 | Perianth glaucous | Chenopodium glaucum |
| Perianth slightly mealy
Back to 4 | 6 |
| 6 | Leaves with entire margins | Chenopodium auricomiforme |
| Leaves with deeply incised margins
Back to 5 | Chenopodium erosum |
| 7 | Plants foetid | 8 |
| Plants not foetid
Back to 4 | 10 |
| 8 | Perianth segments fused to near apex | Chenopodium vulvaria |
| Perianth segments fused only at base
Back to 7 | 9 |
| 9 | Stamens 1 or 2; leaves sparsely hairy, 3–10 cm long | Chenopodium detestans |
| Stamens 5; leaves densely hairy, c. 1 cm long
Back to 8 | Chenopodium desertorum |
| 10 | Leaves usually 20 mm long or less; margins entire | 11 |
| Leaves, or at least the lower ones, more than 30 mm long, margins usually toothed
Back to 7 | 12 |
| 11 | Seeds reticulate; pericarp succulent | Chenopodium curvispicatum |
| Seeds smooth to slightly wrinkled, pericarp dry or succulent
Back to 10 | Chenopodium desertorum |
| 12 | Seed black, strongly patterned; leaves to 15 cm long, margins deeply incised | Chenopodium erosum |
| Seed black to brownish, smooth or with minute or weakly developed pattern; leaves to 9 cm long, margins variously toothed
Back to 10 | 13 |
| 13 | Leaves usually mealy with vesicular hairs, especially on lower surface; seeds bluntly keeled, smooth to weakly furrowed, pericarp readily detached | Chenopodium album |
| Leaves nearly glabrous, except when very young; seeds prominently keeled, finely pitted, pericarp persistent
Back to 12 | Chenopodium murale |
