Atriplex aucheri Moq.

Atriplex sagittata Borkhausen (Rhein. Mag. Erweit. Naturk. 1: 477. 1793; A. nitens Schkuhr), another species of A. sect. Atriplex closely related to A. aucheri and A. hortensis, has occasionally been reported from China, as A. nitens. In most cases these records were based on misidentifications. However, it is possible that A. sagittata does indeed occur in western regions of China as a native species, or can be expected to occur elsewhere as an introduced species.

Like the preceding species but the leaves triangular to hastate-cordate, white lepidote-beneath, bracteoles oblong-cordate, conspicuously reticulate-veined.

Herbs annual, 30-90 cm tall. Stem erect, terete below, slightly 4-angled above, simple or with a few branches above; branches slender, obliquely spreading, furfuraceous. Petiole 1-3 cm; leaf blade triangular-hastate to triangular-lanceolate, 4-10 × 2-8 cm, abaxially densely gray-white furfuraceous, adaxially dark green and not furfuraceous, base cordate to broadly cuneate, margin serrate or serrately lobed (usually 2nd pair of teeth from base elongated), sometimes subentire, apex usually obtuse. Inflorescences terminal panicles. Bisexual flowers ebracteate; perianth 5-parted; segments linear-oblong; stamens 5 (or undeveloped and flowers appearing female); seed horizontal, depressed globose, ca. 1.5 mm in diam.; testa black, sublustrous, thinly leathery. Female flowers bracteate; perianth absent; fruiting bracts subsessile, free, broadly ovate to oblong, 6-10 mm, reticulate veined and furfuraceous on both surfaces, margin entire, apex rounded or emarginate; seed vertical, usually compressed globose, 3-4 mm in diam.; testa yellow-brown, not lustrous, membranous. Fl. and fr. Aug-Oct.

Annual, 30-60 (-150) cm high, erect, usually branched. Leaves alternate, large, 5-10 cm long, long petiolate, truncate, cordate to hastate at base, sinuate-lobed or dentate to entire, lanceolate, tapering. Spicate inflorescences loose, simple or paniculate, leafless. Staminate flowers with 5-lobed, membranous perianth. Pistillate flowers of 2-forms: with 5-merous perianth and horizontal smaller seeds; others with 2 glabrous, membranous ovate or orbicular, reticulately veined, 5-15 mm long valves, with larger vertical seeds. Stigma free to base. Seeds 1-5 mm in diameter, brown or black.

Distribution: Russia, Crimea, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, C.Asia.

Fl. Per.:April-May.

Gobi desert, deserts, arid valleys. Xinjiang [Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan; SW Asia (Caucasus, Iran), SE Europe (SE European Russia, SE Ukraine)].

Atriplex amblyostegia Turczaninow; A. hortensis Linnaeus subsp. desertorum (Iljin) Aellen; A. nitens Schkuhr subsp. desertorum Iljin.

A. amblyostegia Turcz. in Bull. Soc. Imp. Nat. Mosc. 25, 2: 416. 1852; A. nitens Moq. subsp. desertorum Iljin in Bull. Jard. Bot. URSS. 26: 414. 1927; A. hortensis L. subsp. desertorum (Sosn.) Aellen in Bot. Jahrb. 70: 29. 1939; A. nitens Schkuhr. subsp. aucheri (Moq.) Takht. in Takht. & An. Fedrov., Fl. Erevana, 90. 1972.