Atriplex corrugata

S. Watson

Bot. Gaz. 16: 345. 1891.

Common names: Mat-saltbush mat-atriplex matscale
Endemic
Synonyms: Atriplex nuttallii var. corrugata (S. Watson) A. Nelson
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Mentioned on page 375.

Shrubs dioecious (rarely monoecious), low spreading (often appearing as if prostrate), mainly 0.3–1.5 × 3–15 dm. Leaves persistent, sessile, opposite proximally, alternate distally; blade linear to linear-oblanceolate, or oblong, 3–18 × 2–6 mm, margin entire, apex obtuse. Staminate flowers yellow to brownish, in clusters 3–6 mm wide, borne in spikes 1–8 cm. Pistillate flowers in leafy bracteate spikes 5–15 cm. Fruiting bracteoles sessile or subsessile, panduriform, 3–5 × 4–6 mm, united to beyond middle, margin entire or undulate, apex rounded to acute, densely tuberculate (or smooth). Seeds brown, 1.5 mm wide. 2n = 36.


Phenology: Flowering spring–fall.
Habitat: Saline, usually fine-textured substrates derived from Mancos Shale, Tropic Shale, Morrison, Duchesne River, and other similar formations in mat-atriplex and Castle Valley saltbush communities
Elevation: 1200-2200 m

Discussion

Mat-saltbush is known to form intermediates with both Atriplex confertifolia and A. gardneri var. cuneata. This saltbush is a valuable browse plant on the sparsely vegetated clays and silts of eastern Utah, especially on the Mancos Shale exposures, where it is often the only woody vegetation present.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"wide" is not a number."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

... more about "Atriplex corrugata"
wingless +  and winged +
tuberculate +
rounded +  and acute +
Stanley L. Welsh +
S. Watson +
slippery +
aromatic +
Undefined subg. Pterochiton +  and Atriplex sect. Deserticola +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br />) +
linear +  and linear-oblanceolate or oblong +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
persistent +  and deciduous +
reddish-brown +, black +, brown +  and green +
3-5-parted +
Mat-saltbush +, mat-atriplex +  and matscale +
Colo. +, N.Mex. +  and Utah. +
1200-2200 m +
pistillate +  and staminate +
yellow +  and brownish +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br />) +
not +  and connate +
enlarged +
Saline, usually fine-textured substrates derived from Mancos Shale, Tropic Shale, Morrison, Duchesne River, and other similar formations in mat-atriplex and Castle Valley saltbush communities +
bladderlike +
terminal +  and axillary +
alternate +  and opposite +
persistent +
not winged +  and winged +
undulate +  and entire +
subsessile +  and sessile +
panduriform +
inferior +, half-inferior +  and superior +
crassinucellate +  and bitegmic +
campylotropous +
1 +  and single +
persistent +  and deciduous +
(1-)3-5-lobed +
papery +  and chartaceous +
Flowering spring–fall. +
pointing +  and ascending +
sublateral +  and superior +
bulbous +  and taprooted +
fusiform +
fleshy +  and fibrous +
verrucate +  and striate +
flattened +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (?) +
bracteate +  and leafy +
cylindric +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (15 cm150 mm <br />0.15 m <br />) +
3 +  and 5 +
opposite +  and alternate +
succulent +
sessile +  and petiolate +
reduced;small +
horizontal +  and vertical +
verrucate +
Atriplex nuttallii var. corrugata +
Atriplex corrugata +
Atriplex subg. Pterochiton +
species +
spicate +  and naked +
spicate +  and naked +
tuberculate +
dicotyledonous +
perennial +  and annual +
3dm +  and 15dm +