Arthrocnemum

Moquin-Tandon

Chenop. Monogr. Enum., 111. 1840.

Etymology: Greek arthro- , jointed, and cneme, leg, between knee and ankle, internode, referring to the jointed appearance of the branches
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 381. Mentioned on page 259, 260.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA4 P60 Atriplex lentiformis.jpegAtriplex lentiformis
Atriplex canescens var. canescens
Arthrocnemum subterminale
Bee F. Gunn
Bee F. Gunn
Yevonn Wilson-Ramsey

Shrubs, glabrous. Stems apparently jointed and fleshy when young, becoming woody and not jointed, not armed; some stems terminated by an inflorescence, others entirely vegetative. Leaves opposite, united at base, decurrent forming fleshy joints (sterile segments) on stem, eventually deciduous; blades fleshy triangular projections at tip of joints, edges with narrow scarious margins. Inflorescences terminal and lateral, spikelike, apparently jointed, each joint (fertile segment) consisting of 2 opposite, axillary 3 (–5) -flowered cymes embedded in and adnate to fleshy tissue of distal internode; flowers in each cyme arranged in transverse row, central flowers separating lateral flowers, slightly larger, flowers in each cyme partially separated by flaps of tissue which persist on stem when flowers have fallen. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, more or less radially symmetrical; perianth segments persistent in fruit, 3–4, united except at tip, fleshy; stamens 1–2; styles 2–3. Fruits: utriclelike, ellipsoid; pericarp membranous. Seeds vertical, ellipsoid; seed-coat light-brown, membranous, pubescent; hairs strongly curved or hooked and slender, or conic, straight or slightly curved; perisperm absent. x = 9.

Distribution

w North America, warm temperate and tropical coasts of Eurasia, Africa

Discussion

Species up to 6 (1 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

... more about "Arthrocnemum"
Peter W. Ball +
Moquin-Tandon +
slippery +
aromatic +
linear +  and broadly triangulate +
persistent +  and deciduous +
reddish-brown +, black +, brown +  and green +
separated +  and arranged +
w North America +, warm temperate and tropical coasts of Eurasia +  and Africa +
Greek arthro- , jointed, and cneme, leg, between knee and ankle, internode, referring to the jointed appearance of the branches +
symmetric +, or +  and uniseriate +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
3 +  and 4 +
ellipsoid +
curved +  and straight +
conic +  and hooked +
slender +
deciduous +
decurrent +
not winged +  and winged +
entire +  and serrate +
lobed +  and serrate-dentate +
inferior +, half-inferior +  and superior +
crassinucellate +  and bitegmic +
campylotropous +
1 +  and single +
nonadherent +  and adherent +
Chenop. Monogr. Enum., +
pointing +  and ascending +
basal +, median +  and position +
bulbous +  and taprooted +
fusiform +
fleshy +  and fibrous +
verrucate +  and striate +
reddish-brown +, brown +  and black +
ellipsoid +
cylindric +
1 +  and 2 +
not armed +, not jointed +  and jointed +
opposite +  and alternate +
woody +  and fleshy +
sessile +  and petiolate +
reduced;small +
horizontal +  and vertical +
verrucate +
Arthrocnemum +
Chenopodiaceae +
deciduous +, evergreen +, perennial +  and annual +
polygamous +, dioecious +  and monoecious +