Atriplex semibaccata

Botanical Description

Atriplex semibaccata is a mostly evergreen perennial plant with decombent to prostrate stems that become more or less woody. The plant is multistemmed, growing from an often buried woody caudex; it grows 5 - 80cm tall and can spread 150cm or more wide[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. ] The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental, making good groundcover in arid areas, and is also used in restoration projects to reclaim and stabilize land. Atriplex semibaccata has been introduced around the world as a drought and salt tolerant forage. It has escaped cultivation in southwestern N. America and, through its seed's ability to germinate more easily and freely than native species, is now invasive in coastal grasslands, scrub and saline area, where it can form a dense cover inhibiting the growth of native plants. The California Invasive Plant Council classifies its potential impact on native ecosystems as moderate[ 270 Title Flora of N. America Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses. , 1093 Title Invasive Species Compendium Publication Author Website http://www.cabi.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An immense resource - in depth information on over 900 species of invasive plants (it also has information on animals, fungi etc). ].