Atriplex californica
Encyclopedia
Atriplex californica is a species of saltbush
known by the common name California saltbush, or California orache. It is native to coastal California
and Baja California
, where it grows in areas with saline soils, such as beaches and salt marsh
es.
and taproot
. Many stems spread to a maximum width of about 80 centimeters and 30 centimeters in height. The scaly gray-green leaves are lance-shaped to oval and less than 3 centimeters long.
The plant may be monoecious or dioecious
, with some plants having both male and female flower types, and others having just one. Both types of inflorescence
are rough clusters of tiny flowers.
Atriplex
Atriplex is a plant genus of 100-200 species, known by the common names of saltbush and orache . The genus is quite variable and widely distributed. It includes many desert and seashore plants and halophytes, as well as plants of moist environments...
known by the common name California saltbush, or California orache. It is native to coastal California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, where it grows in areas with saline soils, such as beaches and salt marsh
Salt marsh
A salt marsh is an environment in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and salt water or brackish water, it is dominated by dense stands of halophytic plants such as herbs, grasses, or low shrubs. These plants are terrestrial in origin and are essential to the stability of the salt marsh...
es.
Description
Atriplex californica is a perennial herb growing from a fleshy caudexCaudex
A caudex is a form of stem morphology appearing as a thickened, short, perennial stem that is either underground or near ground level . It may be swollen for the purpose of water storage, especially in xerophytes...
and taproot
Taproot
A taproot is an enlarged, somewhat straight to tapering plant root that grows vertically downward. It forms a center from which other roots sprout laterally.Plants with taproots are difficult to transplant...
. Many stems spread to a maximum width of about 80 centimeters and 30 centimeters in height. The scaly gray-green leaves are lance-shaped to oval and less than 3 centimeters long.
The plant may be monoecious or dioecious
Plant sexuality
Plant sexuality covers the wide variety of sexual reproduction systems found across the plant kingdom. This article describes morphological aspects of sexual reproduction of plants....
, with some plants having both male and female flower types, and others having just one. Both types of inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
are rough clusters of tiny flowers.