Salsola kali

Linnaeus

Sp. Pl. 1: 222. 1753.

Common names: Common saltwort
WeedyIntroducedIllustrated
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 400. Mentioned on page 399, 401.

Herbs, 5–50 cm, papillose to hispid or, occasionally, glabrous. Stems erect to ascending, branched from base; branches arcuate or, occasionally, almost prostrate. Leaves alternate; blade linear, mostly 1–2 mm wide in herbarium specimens, fleshy, usually not swollen at base, apex ± acuminate into rather firm, 1–1.5 (–2.2) mm spine. Inflorescences interrupted at maturity, usually 1-flower per axil of bract; bracts alternate, not imbricate at maturity, reflexed, not distinctly swollen at base, apex narrowing into subulate spine. Flowers: bracteoles free or becoming connate and adnate to perianth base; perianth segments with comparatively narrow wing or in lower flowers occasionally wingless (in S. kali subsp. pontica sometimes prominently winged), with weak or firm, acute apex, glabrous; fruiting perianth 4–6 (–8) mm diam. 2n = 36.

Distribution

V4 789-distribution-map.gif

N.B., N.S., Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.), P.E.I., Que., Ala., Calif., Conn., D.C., Del., Fla., Ga., La., Maine, Mass., Md., Miss., N.C., N.H., N.J., N.Y., Oreg., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tex., Va., coastal areas of Europe, n Africa, sw Asia, and naturalized in other coastal regions

Discussion

Subspecies ca. 2 (2 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Perianth segments with rigid, subspinose apex and prominent midvein; bracteoles distinct, not swol- len Salsola kali subsp. kali
1 Perianth segments with weak apex and obscure midvein; bracteoles connate at base, swollen Salsola kali subsp. pontica
... more about "Salsola kali"
subspinescent +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.22 cm2.2 mm <br />0.0022 m <br />) +
acute +  and acuminate +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
narrowing +
Sergei L. Mosyakin +
Linnaeus +
slippery +
aromatic +
swollen +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br />) +
not imbricate +  and alternate +
persistent +  and deciduous +
swollen +
reddish-brown +, black +, brown +  and green +
adnate +, connate +  and free +
, +  and arcuate +
Common saltwort +
N.B. +, N.S. +, Nfld. and Labr. (Nfld.) +, P.E.I. +, Que. +, Ala. +, Calif. +, Conn. +, D.C. +, Del. +, Fla. +, Ga. +, La. +, Maine +, Mass. +, Md. +, Miss. +, N.C. +, N.H. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, Oreg. +, Pa. +, R.I. +, S.C. +, Tex. +, Va. +, coastal areas of Europe +, n Africa +, sw Asia +  and and naturalized in other coastal regions +
symmetric +, or +  and uniseriate +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
not winged +  and winged +
lobed +  and serrate-dentate +
inferior +, half-inferior +  and superior +
crassinucellate +  and bitegmic +
campylotropous +
1 +  and single +
papery +  and chartaceous +
pointing +  and ascending +
basal +, median +  and position +
bulbous +  and taprooted +
fusiform +
fleshy +  and fibrous +
brown +  and black +
verrucate +  and striate +
reddish-brown +, brown +  and black +
orbicular +
Weedy +, Introduced +  and Illustrated +
cylindric +
subulate +
opposite +  and alternate +
erect +  and ascending +
not fleshy +
sessile +  and petiolate +
reduced;small +
horizontal +  and vertical +
verrucate +
Salsola kali +
species +
glabrous +, , +  and hispid +
polygamous +, dioecious +  and monoecious +
coriaceous +  and membranous +