128 Chenopodiaceae 



15-30 cm. long, spreading and decumbent; leaves oblong or 

 oblong-ovate, 6-10 mm. long, acute at each end, sessile; flowers 

 in small axillary clusters, the terminal ones usually more stami- 

 nate; fruiting bracts round-obovate, usually less than 2 mm. 

 broad, the roundish summit narrowly bordered with 3-7 small 

 herbaceous teeth, sides frequently somewhat muricate or 1-nerved ^ 

 seed 0.5 mm. broad. 



Rather common in saline places toward the coast. 



4. A. Watsoni A. Nelson in lit. Branching from the base, 

 somewhat woody below, slender, decumbent or sometimes pros- 

 trate, densely hoary-scurvy ; leaves mostly opposite, cuneate- 

 rounded at base, acute or acutish, oblong-ovate, 12-25 mm. long; 

 staminate flowers in dense clusters in short interrupted terminal 

 spikes; calyx 5-cleft; fruiting bracts sessile, slightly cordate at 

 base, acute, 4 mm. long and broad, compressed, united to above 

 the middle, entire or slightly denticulate; seed nearly 2 mm. 

 long. (A. decumbens Wats.) 



Not known to occur within our limits, but found at San Diego. 



** Perennials; monoecious, or the last 2 dioecious. 



5. A. Serenana A. Nelson in lit. Stems rather stout and more 

 or less diffuse, 3 dm. or more long ; branches smooth and shining, 

 straw-colored ; foliage finely grayish-scurvy ; leaves oblong-ovate, 

 acute, 8-18 mm. long, thin, sharply toothed or the smaller entire ; 

 flower-clusters unisexual, the staminate in terminal simple or 

 compound spikes, the pistillate axillary ; fruiting bracts 2 mm. 

 long, the margins laciniately toothed or dentate, the central tooth 

 lanceolate and conspicuous. (A. bracteosa Wats.) 



Very common throughout our range in saline places. 



6. A. semibaccata R. Br. Perennial ; steins much branched 

 from the base, prostrate, woody below, branches 3-10 dm. long, 

 branchlets slender, whitish, leafy throughout; leaves oblong- 

 lanceolate, tapering at base to a short petiole rounded at apex, 

 2-4 cm. long, 15-30 mm. wide, entire or commonly irregularly and 

 remotely dentate, pale green above, silvery beneath ; staminate 

 flowers in short capitate spikes terminating the branchlets ; fruit- 

 ing bracts about 3 mm. long, the margins entire or minutely 

 toothed on the lateral angles, becoming fleshy and reddish when 

 mature. 



Becoming well established along roadsides and in waste places. Wise- 

 burn; Wilmington; Santa Ana. More common about San Diego and Escon- 



