TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL	previous taxon | next taxon Jepson Interchange (more information)
	©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California Print edition is available from the University of California Press

	The second edition of The Jepson Manual (2012) is available from the University of California Press
	See also the Jepson eFlora, which parallels the Second Edition

CHENOPODIACEAE

GOOSEFOOT FAMILY

Dieter H. Wilken, except as specified

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 0–few
Flower: sepals 1–5, often 0 in pistillate flowers, free or fused, generally persistent in fruit; petals 0; stamens 0–5; ovary generally superior, chamber 1, ovule 1, styles 1–3
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

SUAEDA

SEA-BLITE, SEEPWEED

Wayne R. Ferren, Jr.

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 1–3, minute, membranous; flowers 1–12
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 2–3(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 30:181–190]
Horticultural information: STBL.

Native

S. nigra (Raf.) J.F. Macbr.

BUSH SEEPWEED

Subshrub, shrub 2–15 dm, glabrous or hairy, glaucous
Stems spreading or erect, several, base generally woody; annual stems shiny, yellow-brown; branches spreading
Leaves ascending to widely spreading, generally not overlapping; petiole 1 mm; blade 10–30 mm, subcylindric to flat, linear to narrowly lanceolate, base narrow, yellow-green or red
Inflorescence generally open; clusters confined to upper stems; branches thin, 0.7–2 mm diam; flowers 1–12 per cluster; bracts generally < leaves
Flower bisexual or lateral pistillate, radial, 0.7–2 mm; calyx lobes rounded; ovary ± pear-shaped, stigmas 3, hairy-papillate
Seed horizontal or vertical, 0.5–1 mm, biconvex, shiny, black
Ecology: Interior and desert (rarely coastal), alkaline and saline places
Elevation: < 1600 m.
Bioregional distribution: Great Central Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, Southwestern California, Great Basin Floristic Province, Desert
Distribution outside California: to w Canada, Texas, Mexico
Flowering time: May–Sep
Synonyms: S. torreyana S. Watson including var. ramosissima (Standley) Munz; S. fruticosa (L.) Forssk. misapplied