General: Annual herb from a taproot; stems erect or ascending, simple or branched, 5-80 cm tall.
Leaves: Lower leaves opposite, upper leaves alternate, stalked or stalkless, 1-10 cm long, lanceolate to broadly lanceolate, 2-4 cm wide, rounded at the base, smooth or toothed, upper leaves green below, others covered with a whitish mealy substance above and below when young, but becoming glabrous and greenish with maturity.
Flowers: Inflorescence of terminal or axillary spikes or panicles; pistillate bracteoles somewhat basally thickened at maturity, the largest bracteoles somewhat diamond-shaped, margins united almost to the middle, lateral teeth present, densely compressed in the inflorescence, more or less uniform in size, 3-6 mm long.
Fruits: Membranous pericarps; seeds erect, 1.5-2.5 mm long.
"The genus Atriplex, commonly called orache, atriplex or saltbush, of the family Chenopodiaceae (the goosefoot family), comprises nearly 200 species. The genus has a worldwide distribution, occurring on all continents except Antarctica. Most of the species are halophytes of coastal or inland saline habitats; a few are widespread ruderals of disturbed ground." (Bassett et al. 1983).
References
Bassett, I. J., C. W. Crompton, J. McNeill and P. M. Taschereau. 1983. The genus Atriplex (Chenopodiaceae) in Canada. Monograph #31, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa.
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Atriplex patula
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range. (Updated August, 2013)
BC Ministry of Environment:BC Species and Ecosystems Explorer,
the authoritative source for conservation information in British Columbia.
Synonyms and Alternate Names
Atriplex hastata sensu Aellen, non L. Atriplex latifolia Wahlenb. Atriplex patula subsp. hastata sensu H.M. Hall & Clem. 1923, non (L.) H.M. Hall Atriplex patula var. bracteata auct. non Westerlund Atriplex patula var. erecta (Huds.) Lange Atriplex patula var. hastata auct. non (L.) A. Gray Atriplex patula var. japonica Level. Atriplex patula var. patula Atriplex patula var. triangularis (Willd.) Thorne & S.L. Welsh Atriplex prostrata var. triangularis (Willd.) Rauschert Atriplex triangularis Willd.
