Range of Distribution

Abstract

Sea beet is the most widespread taxon within genus Beta, and can be found quite easily along the seashores of Mediterranean Sea and the European Atlantic Ocean. On these coasts, countless localizations have been reported in the literature beginning in the early 1700s. The frequency of sea beet populations decreases as one goes inland, where the origin of the populations is more likely due to hybridization between sea beet and cultivated beet crops. Although rare, the presence of sea beet has been reported on the shores of the Middle East North Sea, India, China, Japan, and California. In North America, wild populations of Beta maritima, Beta macrocarpa, and respective hybrids (with cultivated beet) likely originated from contaminated seed imported from Europe during colonization of California by the Europeans.