Forage Plants of Australia. 59 



OEDEE CHENOPODIACE.E. 



ATRIPLEX KHAGODIOIDES, F. v. M. 



" Silver Saltbush." 



Flora Ausfr., Vol. V,p. 172. 



A MUCH-branched shrub, seldom growing more than 2 feet high. Its 

 leaves are exceedingly variable and range from ovate to lanceolate and even 

 angular, but are always entire, and are from \ to 1 inch long. The 

 male and female flowers are shown in the engraving on separate stems, but are 

 from the same plant. The whole shrub is covered with a silvery scaly tomen- 

 turn, which gives it a very bright appearance, forming quite a feature in the 

 landscape where it occurs on the central plains of this continent. Hence 

 its common name, " Silver Saltbush," amongst pastoralists. It is an excellent 

 forage plant of which stock of all descriptions are remarkably fond, sheep 

 particularly so, and they are said to thrive well on it. But like many more 

 valuable fodder plants on the central plains it is becoming scarce in many 

 places, where it once was fairly, plentiful, through overstocking. 



This salmons plant is well worthy of conservation, for it will produce a 

 rich succulent herbage during the driest of seasons, and, if left unmolested 

 for a time, will produce an abundance of seed which, when ripe, germinates 

 readily under ordinary conditions. Besides this mode of propagation, it is 

 most readily increased by cuttings made of the half-ripened wood and put in 

 in the ordinary way, so that no great outlay would be required to enter upon 

 a system of conservation or cultivation of this plant. 



At figure 1 is illustrated an enlarged drawing of the fruiting perianth, 

 which is sessile on the stalk, orbicular or nearly rhomboid, with thick convex 

 corky valves, united about half-way up. These seeds are round. 



The seeds of this plant should be sown during the early autumn months 

 and after rainfall if possible, or, if the weather is unpropitious at that time, 

 the sowing may be deferred till spring. The cuttings will strike more 

 readily if put in during the early autumn months. They should be put in 

 where it is intended the plants are to grow. The original drawing, engraving, 

 and specimen of this plant were lost in the fire mentioned in the preface. 

 The photolithoojraph has been taken from a print which I managed to save ; 

 but of course the plant is not so well depicted as if it had been taken from 

 a drawing. 



