About Bassia scoparia (L.) A.J.Scott
The fruit of Bassia scoparia with the calyx attached is dull brown. When hulled, it reveals dull black seeds; some populations in escaped regions such as Europe have dark to blackish-brown seeds instead. Seeds are dispersed by wind and water, and can also be transported when the entire plant detaches and rolls in the wind as a tumbleweed. Seeds do not persist in the soil seed bank, and die within about one year if they do not germinate. Bassia scoparia is a C4 plant of the NADP-ME subtype. It develops herbicide resistance unusually quickly, and quadruple-resistant populations have already evolved in North America. This species is native to the area extending from Central Europe to Asia, and is now widely distributed across the globe. Although it has a number of beneficial uses, it is also classified as an invasive weed. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant for landscapes, valued for its evergreen foliage and bright red fall foliage. It is also used for erosion control on denuded soils. It has been proposed as a species for phytoremediation, because it acts as a hyperaccumulator for chromium, lead, mercury, selenium, silver, zinc, and uranium. In traditional Chinese medicine, the seeds of Bassia scoparia are used to help manage conditions including hyperlipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and atherosclerosis. In a study of mice fed a high-fat diet, a seed extract from this plant reduced obesity development. The seeds contain momordin Ic, a triterpene saponin.
