Short to tall, spreading to erect plant usually much branched and often red tinged. Leaves diamond shaped to lanceolate, irregularly coarsely toothed. Flowers in simple or branched leafy spikes, clusters crowded.

Other goosefoots

Leaves green or reddish on both surfaces, usually strongly toothed or lobed. Inflorescence glabrous and plant is not mealy 

A photo of the whole plant

Manure heaps, waste places and disturbed ground etc.

July to October.

Annual.

Quite frequent throughout England, less so in Scotland and Wales.

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 119 of the 617 tetrads.