The leaf blade is triangular-hastate to ovate, sometimes with elongated lobes, with entire or dentate margins and an acute apex.

[1][2] The genus Spinacia was originally distributed in temperate Asia, and has been introduced to the mediterranean area early.

[3] Spinacia oleracea grows cultivated or naturalized in all temperate and subtropical regions of Europe, Asia, and North America.

The genus name may derive from the Latin "spina" or from Persian "ispanakh" (=spine), referring to the spiny fruit.

[1] Spinacia is closely related to genus Blitum, both grouping in Tribus Anserineae (Syn.