12. Atriplex dimorphostegia Kar. & Kir. in Bull. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou. 15: 47.38. 1842; Kom., l.c. 93 pI. IV. fig. 6; R.R.Stewart, l.c. 218; Hedge, l.c.70. (Fig.11, A-C1).
A. dimorphostegia Kar. & Kir. var. sagittiformis Aellen in Bot. Jahrb. 70: 36. 1939.
Annual, monoecious herb, prostrate to ascending, up to 50 cm long, whitish glabrous. Leaves 10-60 x 10-30 mm, alternate, ovate or deltoid, ± truncate at base, entire to sub-irregularly sinuate-dentate, scurfy-mealy beneath, almost glabrous above. Flower clusters axillary or arranged in terminal spicate inflorescences; lower clusters pistillate, upper ones mixed. Male flowers with 4-5, membranous-yellowish segments; stamens 4-5, pistillode short. Bracteoles of pistillate flowers dimorphic, conspicuously stipitate; those of lower clusters sinuate-lobed, ± smooth; those of upper ones smaller, c. 5 x 3 mm, triangular-ovate with 1-3 teeth on each side, with crested back; stigmas free to base; seeds of 2 sizes; larger ones 2-2.5 mm in diameter, shining dark-brown.
Fl. Per.: April-May.
Type: Described from C.Asia, the vicinity of Lake Kali, near Sassykpastau spring (LE).
A very variable species found growing in deserts and sandy areas; Distribution: Central (Kirghizstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Sinkiang, Turkemenistan, Afghanistan) and southwest Asia (S.Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Pakistan), and North Africa.
