Herbs or subshrubs, annual or perennial, glabrous. Leaves sessile, fleshy, cross-sections of fresh leaves ± uniformly green when seen at 10× magnification. Inflorescences glomes, each glome in axis of one leaflike bract; bracteoles subtending glomes without marginal hairs. Flowers bisexual or sometimes unisexual; perianth irregular or zygomorphic, sometimes appearing ± actinomorphic, globose to wider than long; perianth segments connate proximally (sometimes forming fleshy disk), succulent or thin, abaxially flat or rounded, sometimes distally hooded, and/or with abaxial appendages (transverse proximal wings, keels, and/or distal horns), apex obtuse to acute; ovary ovoid, transversely ellipsoid, or pyriform; stigmas 2–5, inserted on attenuated apex of ovary, linear, smooth or papillate. Seeds horizontal, strongly dimorphic in some species and individuals; lenticular with seed-coat black, blackish brown, or blackish red, shiny, and easily removable from pericarp; or flat to discoid and coiled with seed-coat brown, dull, and not easily removed from pericarp.

Distribution

Worldwide

Discussion

Species ca. 40 (6 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

Suaeda calceoliformis, Suaeda esteroa, Suaeda linearis, Suaeda maritima, Suaeda occidentalis, Suaeda rolandii

Key

1	Perianth segments thin to abaxially rounded, without appendages	Suaeda maritima
1	Perianth segments abaxially rounded, one or more segments with abaxial appendages (transverse proximal wings, keels, and/or distal horns)	> 2
2	Perianth segments with one or more segments transversely winged proximally and/or horned distally	> 3
2	Perianth segments not horned or winged	> 4
3	Glomes 3-7-flowered; bracts usually broadest proximal to middle and thin- margined at base; branches usually ascending	Suaeda calceoliformis
3	Glomes 1-3-flowered; bracts usually broadest at ± middle, not thin-margined at base; branches usually spreading	Suaeda occidentalis
4	Leaf blades linear-lanceolate, usually not narrowed basally; glomes usually 3-5- flowered; Pacific coast	Suaeda esteroa
4	Leaf blades linear, narrowed basally; glomes usually 1-3-flowered; Atlantic coast	> 5
5	Flowers usually crowded in compound spikes; perianth 1-2.5 mm diam.; len- ticular seeds 1-1.8 mm diam	Suaeda linearis
5	Flowers usually distributed throughout plant; perianth 2-4 mm diam.; lenticu- lar seeds 1.5-2.3 mm diam	Suaeda rolandii

"wider than long" is not a number.