Atriplex pacifica
| Atriplex pacifica | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Amaranthaceae |
| Genus: | Atriplex |
| Species: | A. pacifica |
| Binomial name | |
| Atriplex pacifica A.Nels. | |
Atriplex pacifica is a species of saltbush known by the common names Davidson's saltbush, South Coast saltbush, and Pacific orach.
It is native to the coastline of Southern California, including the Channel Islands, and Baja California, where it grows in saline habitat on the immediate coastline, such as beach bluffs. It is an uncommon plant, chiefly because much of its native habitat has been drastically altered.
This is a mat-forming annual herb producing scaly, reddish green, prostrate stems 10 to 30 centimeters long. The leaves are less than 2 centimeters long, usually oval in shape, with gray-green scaly undersides. Male flowers are borne in terminal spike inflorescences that emerge from the distal end of the branches, while female flower clusters appear proximally on the branches.
See also
- California coastal sage and chaparral - (subecoregion)
- Coastal sage scrub - (plant association)
External links
- Calflora Database: Atriplex pacifica (Pacific saltbrush, South coast saltbush)
- Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Atriplex pacifica
- USDA Plants Profile for Atriplex pacifica (Davidson's saltbush)
- Flora of North America
- UC Photos gallery: Atriplex pacifica