Bassia scoparia

The fruit of Bassia scoparia with the calyx attached is dull brown, but when hulled, it reveals dull black seeds,{{citation|last=Egginton |first=George E. |author-link= |title=Colorado Weed Seeds |journal=Bulletin - Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station |number=260 |date=January 1921|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mzVLAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA38 |page=38}} or dark to blackish-brown seeds in some escaped regions, such as Europe.{{cite book|last1=Bojnanský |first1=Vít |author1-link=:sk:Vít Bojňanský (botanik) |last2=Fargašová |first2=Agáta |author2-link= |title=Atlas of Seeds and Fruits of Central and East-European Flora: The Carpathian Mountains Region |publisher=Springer Science & Business Media |year=2007 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5vd_ZE7UDV8C&pg=PA107 |pages=107 |isbn=9781402053610}}

The seeds are dispersed by wind and water and are transported when the whole plant detaches and rolls on the wind as a tumbleweed. The seed does not persist in the soil seed bank, dying within about a year if it fails to germinate.

The species is a C₄ plant, specifically of the NADP-ME type.{{cite journal |last1=Kadereit |first1=Gudrun |first2=Helmut |last2=Freitag |year=2011 |url=http://openurl.ingenta.com/content?genre=article&issn=0040-0262&volume=60&issue=1&spage=51&epage=78 |title=Molecular phylogeny of Camphorosmeae (Camphorosmoideae, Chenopodiaceae): Implications for biogeography, evolution of C₄-photosynthesis and taxonomy |journal=Taxon |volume=60 |issue=1 |pages=51–78|doi=10.1002/tax.601006 }}{{cite journal |vauthors=Muhaidat R, Sage RF, Dengler NG |title=Diversity of Kranz anatomy and biochemistry in C4 eudicots |journal=American Journal of Botany |volume=94 |issue=3 |pages=362–81 |date=March 2007 |pmid=21636407 |doi=10.3732/ajb.94.3.362}}

It develops herbicide resistance unusually quickly,{{cite journal|doi=10.1017/wsc.2018.72|journal=Weed Science|publisher=Weed Science Society of America|title=Herbicide-Resistant Kochia (Bassia scoparia) in North America: A Review|date=2018-12-07|last1=Kumar|first1=Vipan|last2=Jha|first2=Prashant|last3=Jugulam|first3=Mithila|last4=Yadav|first4=Ramawatar|last5=Stahlman|first5=Phillip W.|volume=67|pages=4–15|s2cid=91312866|doi-access=free}} and quadruple-resistant populations have developed in North America.

Bassia scoparia is native to a region ranging from Central Europe to Asia and is now widespread throughout the world. While having a variety of beneficial uses, it is also considered an invasive weed.

The species was first published in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus, who named it Chenopodium scoparium. In 1809, it was placed in the genus Kochia by Heinrich Schrader. It was transferred to Bassia in 1978 by Andrew J. Scott. Kochia was included in Bassia in 2011 following phylogenetic studies.

This plant is grown as an ornamental plant as evergreen foliage for landscapes,{{cite web |title=Kochia Scoparia |url=http://www.thelovelyplants.com/easy-to-grow-foliage-plant-kochia-scoparia-summer-cypress/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190409035242/http://www.thelovelyplants.com:80/easy-to-grow-foliage-plant-kochia-scoparia-summer-cypresshttps://web.archive.org/web/20190409035242/http://www.thelovelyplants.com:80/easy-to-grow-foliage-plant-kochia-scoparia-summer-cypress |archive-date=2019-04-09 |access-date=2022-06-06 |website=The Lovely Plants}} as well as for its red fall foliage. It has also been useful in erosion control on denuded soils.{{cite web |last=Casey |first=P.A. |year=2009 |title=Plant guide for kochia (Kochia scoparia) |publisher=USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Kansas Plant Materials Center |location=Manhattan, Kansas |url=http://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/pg_kosc.pdf}} It has been suggested as an agent of phytoremediation, because it is a hyperaccumulator of chromium, lead, mercury, selenium, silver, zinc,{{cite book |last1=McCutcheon |last2=Schnoor |title=Phytoremediation |location=New Jersey |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |year=2003}}{{page needed|date=June 2014}} and uranium.{{cite journal |author=Schmidt U |title=Enhancing phytoextraction: the effect of chemical soil manipulation on mobility, plant accumulation, and leaching of heavy metals |journal=Journal of Environmental Quality |volume=32 |issue=6 |pages=1939–54 |year=2003 |pmid=14674516 |doi=10.2134/jeq2003.1939}}

{{Redirect-distinguish|Tonburi|Thonburi (disambiguation){{!}}Thonburi}}

File:Tonburi Seed.JPG

In Japan the dull black seeds are used as a food garnish called {{nihongo|tonburi|とんぶり|}} (Japanese). Because its texture is similar to caviar, it has been called "land caviar",{{cite book|last=Chiba |first=Machiko |author-link= |title=Japanese Dishes for Wine Lovers |location= |publisher=Kodansha International |date=2005 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=La1juytBR0EC&pg=PA117 |page=117 |isbn=9784770030030}} "field caviar", and "mountain caviar". It is a chinmi, or delicacy, in Akita prefecture. The seed dish is prepared by boiling the seeds for about 30{{nbs}}minutes, soaking them in running water, and rubbing them in the hands to hull them.{{cite book|title=This is Japan |location= |publisher=Asahi Shinbunsha |date=1954 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-iXVAAAAMAAJ&q=tomburi+caviar |page=117}}

The seeds are used in traditional Chinese medicine to help regulate disorders such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and atherosclerosis. In a study of mice fed a high-fat diet, an extract of the seeds limited obesity.{{cite journal |vauthors=Han LK, Nose R, Li W |title=Reduction of fat storage in mice fed a high-fat diet long term by treatment with saponins prepared from Kochia scoparia fruit |journal=Phytotherapy Research |volume=20 |issue=10 |pages=877–82 |date=October 2006 |pmid=16892459 |doi=10.1002/ptr.1981|s2cid=25309137 |display-authors=etal}} They contain momordin Ic, a triterpene saponin.{{cite journal |vauthors=Matsuda H, Li Y, Yamahara J, Yoshikawa M |title=Inhibition of gastric emptying by triterpene saponin, momordin Ic, in mice: roles of blood glucose, capsaicin-sensitive sensory nerves, and central nervous system |journal=The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics |volume=289 |issue=2 |pages=729–34 |date=May 1999 |pmid=10215646 |url=http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=10215646}}

The plant is a moderately useful forage for livestock, especially on dry lands.{{cite journal |vauthors=Rankins DL, Smith GS, Hallford DM |title=Serum constituents and metabolic hormones in sheep and cattle fed Kochia scoparia hay |journal=Journal of Animal Science |volume=69 |issue=7 |pages=2941–6 |date=July 1991 |doi=10.2527/1991.6972941x |pmid=1885403 |url=http://www.journalofanimalscience.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=1885403}} The plant contains higher levels of protein and oxalate than most grasses and fodder plants. However, its use is limited by its toxicity in large quantities.{{cite journal |vauthors=Rankins DL, Smith GS, Hallford DM |title=Effects of metoclopramide on steers fed Kochia scoparia hay |journal=Journal of Animal Science |volume=69 |issue=9 |pages=3699–705 |date=September 1991 |doi=10.2527/1991.6993699x |pmid=1938652 |url=http://www.journalofanimalscience.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=1938652|doi-access=free }} Livestock ingesting large amounts can experience weight loss, hyperbilirubinemia, photosensitization, and polyuria.{{cite journal |vauthors=Rankins DL, Smith GS, Hallford DM |title=Altered metabolic hormones, impaired nitrogen retention, and hepatotoxicosis in lambs fed Kochia scoparia hay |journal=Journal of Animal Science |volume=69 |issue=7 |pages=2932–40 |date=July 1991 |doi=10.2527/1991.6972932x |pmid=1885402 |url=http://www.journalofanimalscience.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=1885402}}

The plant's common name in Japan is hahaki-gi or hōki-gusa which signify 'broom-tree' or 'broom-weed', and it has traditionally been used to make brooms.{{cite book|author=Dai Nihon Nōkai |author-link= |chapter=Kochia Scoparia |title=Useful Plants of Japan Described and Illustrated |location= |publisher=Agricultural Society of Japan |year=1895 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g9dBAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA80 |page=80}}

In Serbia and Bulgaria,{{Cite web|url=https://korovametla.wordpress.com/|title=Hero korova metla 2012|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=|language=Serbian|access-date=2017-01-16}} brooms are produced by simply tying several dried plants of this species together, using the branches as the broom head and the stems as the handle; this is convenient since the broom does not require a separate handle.

Medieval Japanese legend has it that this broom tree would disappear from sight whenever approached, and Sakanoue no Korenori wrote a waka poem alluding to this myth.{{cite book|last=Cranston |first=Edwin A. |author-link=Edwin A. Cranston |title=A Waka Anthology: Grasses of remembrance (2 v.) |location= |publisher=Stanford University Press |date=1993 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3RI7XH8bdMoC&pg=PA698 |page=698|isbn=9780804748254}}

File:Kochia scoparia (5129971536).jpg|Form

File:Kochia scoparia (5129971714).jpg|Inflorescence

File:Kochia scoparia (8161733508).jpg|As a weed

File:Bassia scoparia in Jardin des Plantes 001.jpg|Ornamental planting

File:Kochia Hitachi Seaside Park.jpg|Mass planting at Hitachi Seaside Park, Japan.

• Allelopathy

{{Reflist|2}}

{{Commons category|Bassia scoparia}}

{{Wikispecies|Bassia scoparia}}

• {{NCBI taxid|83154|Bassia scoparia }}
• [http://www.tropicos.org/Name/50083407 Bassia scoparia at Tropicos]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q829752}}

Category:Amaranthaceae

Category:Tumbleweeds

Category:Japanese cuisine