Goosefoot family (Chenopodiaceae)
The goosefoot family has about 1500 species of deserts, sands and salty soils (trees, shrubs, subshrubs and herbs). They are often fleshy and juicy; leaves are simple, in some very small or lost altogether. Flowers are small, green or colourless, in spikes or racemes; the perianth is simple, cup-like (about 5 papery lobes), with 2–5 stamens, and the fruit is mostly a nutlet. In modern classification this family is treated as part of Amaranthaceae, but we learn it under the textbook name. Beet (Beta vulgaris) is a biennial: in the first year it forms large leaves and a swollen root crop, in the second year it flowers and fruits; spinach is in this family too. Saxaul (white — Haloxylon persicum, black — H. aphyllum) is a small desert tree of sands; its leaves are tiny and scale-like, and part of the annual shoots drop off — an adaptation that saves water. Saxaul fixes drifting sand, provides fuel, and its shoots are fodder for livestock. Teresken, izen and shorak are forage for camels and karakul sheep; Anabasis aphylla is poisonous and gives an insecticide, so do not touch it.
Look at herbarium sheets of white goosefoot and orache, compare leaves and flowers with a lens and find the conditions they grow in. With an adult cut a beet root and look at the rings in the cut. Safety: only adults use the knife; in the desert watch for thorns, snakes and heat; do not touch poisonous plants such as Anabasis; wash hands.