Atriplex cordulata var. erecticaulis

(Stutz

Rhodora 102: 423. 2001.

Common names: Earlimart orach
EndemicConservation concern
Basionym: Atriplex erecticaulis Stutz G. L. Chu & S. C. Sanderson, Madroño 44: 89, figs. 1, 2(right). 1997
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 359. Mentioned on page 358.

Stems highly branched from base, 3–5 (–8) dm; branches mainly steeply ascending. Leaves: blade deltoid-ovate to ovatelanceolate or subcordate, 5–15 × 5–12 mm, base rounded to cordate-clasping, typically entire, or sparingly toothed below middle. Anthers yellow. Fruiting bracteoles deltoid-rhombic to flabellate, 3–3.5 × 3–4 mm, central tooth subequal to lateral, scarcely if at all tuberculate. 2n = 54.


Phenology: Flowering summer–early fall.
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, in alkaline grasslands
Elevation: 0-100 m

Discussion

Of conservation concern.

Atriplex cordulata var. erecticaulis occurs with Distichlis spicata, Centromadia pungens, Frankenia salina, Cressa truxillensis, Heliotropium curassavicum, and other annual species. Stutz, Chu, and Sanderson indicated this taxon’s relationship to var. cordulata from which it differs in the more bushy habit resulting from profuse branching, later flowering time (August and September, not June and July), yellow anthers (not purple or red, which is possibly only a function of age), deltoid-rhombic to flabellate fruiting bracteoles (not broadly deltoid-ovate), central tooth and lateral of same size (not with larger central tooth), and hexaploid (not tetraploid) chromosome condition. Specimens known previous to the segregation by Stutz et al. were included within A. cordulata, and despite the apparently different chromosome number and morphologic differences, the taxon is nevertheless closely similar morphologically to the only slightly, if at all, disjunct A. cordulata, hence the treatment at infraspecific level herein.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"/2" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property."dm" is not declared as a valid unit of measurement for this property.

scurfy-tomentose +
acute +  and attenuate +
thickish +
Stanley L. Welsh +
(Stutz +
slippery +
aromatic +
toothed +, entire +  and rounded +
Atriplex erecticaulis +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.3 cm13 mm <br />0.013 m <br />) +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
deltoid-ovate +  and ovatelanceolate or subcordate +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
persistent +  and deciduous +
reddish-brown +, black +, brown +  and green +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (?) +
cuneate +  and ovate or obovate +
not crested +
3-5-parted +
Earlimart orach +
0-100 m +
smooth +  and tuberculate +
4-5-merous +  and staminate +
rarely +  and lacking +
unisexual +  and bisexual +
not +  and connate +
enlarged +
Roadsides, fields, in alkaline grasslands +
bladderlike +
terminal +  and axillary +
deciduous +  and persistent +
not winged +  and winged +
entire +  and serrate +
denticulate +  and entire +
subsessile +  and sessile +
toothed +, compressed +, round-ovate +  and deltoid-rhombic or flabellate +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br />) +
inferior +, half-inferior +  and superior +
crassinucellate +  and bitegmic +
campylotropous +
1 +  and single +
persistent +  and deciduous +
(1-)3-5-lobed +
papery +  and chartaceous +
Flowering summer–early fall. +
bulbous +  and taprooted +
fusiform +
fleshy +  and fibrous +
verrucate +  and striate +
flattened +
0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br /> (0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br />) +
Endemic +  and Conservation concern +
cylindric +
3 +  and 5 +
opposite +  and alternate +
spreading-ascending +  and erect-ascending +
slender +
succulent +
sessile +  and petiolate +
reduced;small +
horizontal +  and vertical +
verrucate +
Obione cordulata +
Atriplex cordulata var. erecticaulis +
Atriplex cordulata +
variety +
subequal +  and largest +
dicotyledonous +
deltoid-rhombic;flabellate +
branched +  and simple +