Narrow-leaved atriplex

Atriplex hastata Linnaeus var. littoralis (Linnaeus) Farwell; A. patula Linnaeus var. littoralis (Linnaeus) A. Gray; A. patula subsp. littoralis (Linnaeus) H. M. Hall & Clements

Herbs, monoecious or sub-dioecious, 2.5-7.5(-10) dm. Stems erect or forming sprawling tangled clumps and mostly green; branches erect-ascending, proximal ones opposite and ascending, sparsely scurfy when young, obtusely angled. Leaves alternate or only proximalmost opposite, all shortly petiolate; blade green on both surfaces, linear, linear-oblong, linear-lanceolate, or oblong, (10-)25-80(-120) × 2-8(-12) mm, thin, gradually narrowed, margin mostly entire or some sinuate-dentate with antrorse teeth, apex obtuse to acuminate. Inflorescences of long, dense or interrupted hairy spikes often forming panicle to 20 cm; staminate flowers 4-5-merous. Pistillate bracteoles sessile, triangular to ovate or ovate-rhombic, (3-)5-7 mm, mostly denticulate, rarely subentire, faces tuberculate almost distinct, green becoming brown or black. Seeds dimorphic: brown, 2-2.8 mm wide, round and ± flattened, or black, 1.5-2 mm wide, round, evenly convex; radicle inferior. 2n = 18.

Flowering summer. Sea beaches and other saline habitats, old ports and ballast dumps; mainly below 100 m; introduced; N.B., N.S., P.E.I.; Ill., Ind., Maine, Mass., Mich., N.H., Ohio, Pa.; Europe.