PIGWEED

any of several coarse annual plants of cosmopolitan distribution that are often troublesome weeds. Several of them belong to the genus Amaranthus, of the family Amaranthaceae. Prostrate pigweed, or mat amaranth (A. graecizans), grows along the ground surface with stems rising at the tips; spiny pigweed, or spiny amaranth (A. spinosus), has spines at the base of the leafstalks; and rough pigweed, or redroot (A. retroflexus), is a stout plant up to 3 m (about 10 feet) tall. Pigweed (Chenopodium album). Other pigweeds are from the goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae), such as the edible Chenopodium album (see photograph), also called lamb's-quarters (q.v.). Winged pigweed (Cycloloma atriplicifolium) is a much-branched upright plant with scalloped leaves; it grows to 60 cm (about 2 feet) tall and is often seen on sandy soils.