General:
Annual herb from a taproot; stems erect, several, freely branching, strongly to finely woolly giving a silvery or rusty appearance, usually reddish-tinged, especially in the fall, 0.3-1.5 m tall.

Leaves:
Stem leaves alternate, linear to narrowly lanceolate, 2-6 cm long, 3-5 nerved, softly hairy to rusty-bristled beneath, upper surface usually glabrous but fringed on the margins; bracts 3-10 mm long.

Flowers:
Inflorescence of 3-6 flowers in axillary spikes along the stem; calyces rusty and long soft-hairy to woolly long-hairy, prominently flanged in fruit.

Fruits:
Papery, thin, membranous envelopes; seeds horizontal.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad.