Atriplex confertifolia
Encyclopedia
Atriplex confertifolia (Shadscale) is a species of evergreen
shrub
in the Chenopodiaceae
family, which is native to the western United States
.
. It prefers sandy, well-drained soils and it is tolerant of moderately saline conditions.
, shadscale has shorter and wider leaves and the fruit does not have four wings (although it may have two wings in a "V" shape).
Evergreen
In botany, an evergreen plant is a plant that has leaves in all seasons. This contrasts with deciduous plants, which completely lose their foliage during the winter or dry season.There are many different kinds of evergreen plants, both trees and shrubs...
shrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
in the Chenopodiaceae
Chenopodiaceae
Chenopodiaceae were a family of flowering plants, also called the Goosefoot Family. They are now included within family Amaranthaceae. The vast majority of Chenopods are weeds, and many are salt and drought tolerant. A few food crops also belong to the family: spinach, beets, chard, quinoa, and...
family, which is native to the western United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Habitat
Shadscale is a common, often dominant, shrub in the lowest and driest areas of the Great BasinGreat Basin
The Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America and is noted for its arid conditions and Basin and Range topography that varies from the North American low point at Badwater Basin to the highest point of the contiguous United States, less than away at the...
. It prefers sandy, well-drained soils and it is tolerant of moderately saline conditions.
Description
The height of Atriplex confertifolia varies from 1 to 3 feet. Shadscale fruits and leaves provide important winter browse for both domestic livestock and native herbivores. Compared to Fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens)Atriplex canescens
Atriplex canescens, Chamiso, Chamiza, Four wing saltbush, Four-wing saltbush, and Fourwing saltbush, is a species of evergreen shrub in the Amaranthaceae family, which is native to the western and mid-western United States....
, shadscale has shorter and wider leaves and the fruit does not have four wings (although it may have two wings in a "V" shape).