TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Annual to tree, sometimes monoecious or dioecious, glandular or with bead-like hairs that collapse with age, becoming scaly or powdery
Stem often fleshy
Leaves generally alternate, entire to lobed; veins generally pinnate
Inflorescence: raceme, spike, catkin-like, or spheric cluster, or flower 1; bracts 0few
Flower: sepals 15, often 0 in pistillate flowers, free or fused, generally persistent in fruit; petals 0; stamens 05; ovary generally superior, chamber 1, ovule 1, styles 13
Fruit: generally utricle
Seed 1, vertical (fruit compressed side-to-side) or horizontal (fruit compressed top-to-bottom)
Genera in family: 100 genera, 1300 species: worldwide, especially deserts, saline or alkaline soils; some cultivated for food (Beta , beets, chard; Chenopodium , quinoa)
Recent taxonomic note: Recently treated in expanded Amaranthaceae
Annual, perennial herb, shrubs, glabrous to hairy
Leaves generally alternate; blade entire, sometimes cylindric or upper surface flat, fleshy, generally glaucous, tip acute or pointed
Inflorescence: cyme; clusters sessile, generally arrayed in compound spikes; bracts leaf-like or reduced; bractlets subtending flowers 13, minute, membranous; flowers 112
Flower generally bisexual; calyx radial or bilateral, lobes 5, rounded, hooded, keeled, horned, or wing-margined; ovary ± lenticular, rounded, conic or with a neck-like extension, stigmas 23(5)
Fruit: utricle, enclosed in calyx
Seed horizontal or vertical, lenticular or flat, of 2 kinds in some species
Species in genus: 115 species: worldwide, saline and alkaline soils
Etymology: (ancient Arabic name)
Reference: [Ferren & Whitmore 1983 Madroño 30:181190]
Horticultural information: STBL.
Native |
Annual < 8 dm, glabrous, glaucous
Stems prostrate to erect, 1several; branches ascending or spreading, generally striped
Leaves often tightly ascending, < 40 mm, linear, sessile; upper surface flat, green or reddish
Inflorescence generally dense, branched; flowers 35 per cluster; bracts subtending branches = leaves; bracts subtending flowers < leaves, wider at base
Flower bilateral, 14 mm including horns; calyx lobes horned and ± keeled, ± wing-margined; ovary rounded to lenticular, stigmas generally 2, glabrous
Seed horizontal; lenticular form 0.81.7 mm, shiny, generally black; flat form 11.5 mm, dull, brown
Ecology: Dry, saline or alkaline wetland soils
Elevation: < 2200 m.
Bioregional distribution: California
Distribution outside California: to Alaska, e Canada, Texas
Flowering time: JulOct
Synonyms: S. depressa (Pursh) S. Watson var. erecta S. Watson; S. d. var. d. misapplied
Yellow-green plants (generally GB) with leaf base ± tapered, inflorescence generally open and slender, branches spreading, calyx lobes wing-margined have been called S. occidentalis S. Watson.