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SALTBUSHES AND THEIR ALLIES IN THE UNITED STATES 95 
KOCHIA AMERICANA S. Wats. 
Kochia americana is a low, succulent plant, from 5 inches to 2 feet 
high, with clustered stems, woody only at the base. Its leaves are 
small, simple, and cylindr ical, and, like the young stems, succulent. 
At first the plant is slightly hairy, but it soon becomes smooth. 
It grows in the alkaline “soils of the Great Basin region, where it 
is known as red sage. 
Department sample 10764 (G), collected at Green River, Wyo., 
August, 1912, contained, on an air-dry basis, 4.7 per cent of moisture, 
and, on a water-free basis, 29.4 per cent of ash, 1.9 per cent of ether 
extract, 14.1 per cent of crude fiber, 45.5 per cent of nitrogen-free 
extr act, 16.1 per cent of protein, and 12.7 per cent of pentosans. 
AK. americana is important only as one of the few species that can 
live and produce edible forage upon the alkaline soils of its area cf 
distribution. In the Red Desert region of Wyoming and in the slick 
deserts of Nevada it grows locally in abundance, supplying winter 
feed for sheep. 
KOCHIA SCOPARIA (L.) Schrad. 
Kochia scoparia, an annual weed introduced from Europe, is be- 
coming naturalized in many places in the United States, particularly 
in the Western States. It appears mainly as a waste- eround weed in 
towns and on roadsides, but seems able also to compete for a place on 
the range. It may be expected to continue to take possession of 
denuded lands wherever the seeds are scattered, as far as other plants 
will permit. 
Department sample 10910 (G), consisting of the main leafy 
branches of large plants in late blossom, collected at Green River, 
Wyo., September 1, 1914, contained, on an air- dry basis, 4.4 per cent 
of moisture, and, on a water-free basis, 14.5 per cent of ash, 1.8 per 
cent of ether extract, 23.7 per cent of crude fiber, 37.4 per cent of 
nitrogen-free extract, 22.6 per cent of protein, and 16.4 per cent of 
pentosans. 
The value of &. scoparia as a forage plant depends upon its asso- 
ciates wherever it enters the range countr y. Present indications are 
that it will always be of less than first rank in importance. 
KOCHIA VESTITA (S. Wats.) Rydb. 
Kochia vestita is a low, much-branched, gray plant, with many 
erect or spreading stems, rarely reaching the height of 1 foot. The 
bases of the stems are woody; the young parts are succulent. The 
leaves are cylindrical and shghtly fleshy, one-fourth to half an inch 
long, and about one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter. All the young 
parts are covered with a scanty growth of short, appressed white 
hairs, which give the plant a er ayish- green color. The flowers and 
fruit are small and inconspicuous. The fruit has a narrow, dark, 
winglike border. 
K. vestita erows rather abundantly on the less alkaline plains of 
the Great Basin region, extending from western Colorado into 
Nevada. 
Department sample 7231 (W), consisting of plants in full fruit, 
collected on the plains west of Great Salt Lake, near Lucin, Utah, 
