[var. of CARD sb.3 (Cf. F. chardon thistle.)] = CARD sb.3 Hence chard-beet.
1658. Evelyn, Fr. Gard. (1675), 160. To procure the chard of artichoks. Ibid. (1664), Kal. Hort. (1729), 195. Transplant the Beet-chard which you sowed in August, to have most ample Chards. Ibid. (1693), De la Quint. Compl. Gard., II. 142. Chard-Beets … that in the middle have a large white, and thick downy Cotton-like Main shoot, and that downy Cotton-like shoot is the true Chard used in Pottages.
1832. Veg. Subst. Food, 252. The footstalks and midribs of the leaves [of white beet] … are stewed and eaten under the name of Swiss chard.
1866. Treas. Bot., I. 372. The Chard of Artichokes, or the tender central leaf-stalk blanched.
