Forage Plants of Australia. 





OEDER CHEXOPODIACE^E. 



ATKIPLEX HOLOCARPA, F. y. M. 

 11 All-fruited Salt-Bush." 



Flora Austr., Vol. V, p. 179. 



A PERENNIAL plant, though some of my correspondents say it is only annual, 

 having an almost woody base, and herbaceous spreading or procumbent 

 branching stems, growing from 1 foot to 15 inches high, with leaves on rather 

 long stalks, somewhat variable, but mostly obovate, irregularly toothed, 

 from under \ an inch to above 1 inch long, and softly mealy tornentose. 

 Flowers, monoecious and axillary ; the males and the females arranged 

 together in the upper axils, though often the females only are arranged 

 togetherin the lower ones. Fruitingperianths,illustratedat figure 1, are nearly 

 globular, and from i to ^ inch in diameter, of a loosely fibrous and spongy 

 consistence, with a thin membranous covering. This plant is peculiar to our 

 arid far western plains, and on land liable to be flooded near the Lachlan 

 and Darling Rivers in New South Wales Stokes Range and Cooper's Creek, 

 and towards Spencer's Gulf in South Australia, and in some situations it is 

 moderately plentiful. Its free seeding qualities have rendered it somewhat 

 proof against extermination ; for when the floods subside, seedlings spring 

 up by thousands, and they soon grow large enough to produce rich succulent 

 food which sheep are remarkably fond of. Even on the arid plains this plant 

 will grow in the most adverse season of heat and drought. Its tenacity of life 

 is remarkable ; and on this account it is one of our most valuable fodder 

 plants in times of scarcity of other feed. Paddocks of this plant are well worth 

 conserving, for during adverse seasons they would supply enough feed for 

 thousands of starving animals. The conservation, and even the cultivation, 

 of this plant would require little outlay to make it a success ; for the plants 

 produce an abundance of seed, which germinates readily under ordinary 

 conditions. Plants sown from seeds in September would produce a crop of 

 seeds in three or four months, if left unmolested by sheep or cattle. In 

 these circumstances enough could soon be obtained to sow thousands of 

 acres, which would in a short time be of untold value to pastoralists. 

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

 possible after rainfall, or failing this in September or October, but when 

 there is moisture in the ground. 



