66 MISC. PUBLICATION 303, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
withstand comparatively low temperatures; very brittle; for range planting 
sow seeds 14-16 pounds per acre in March-April; can be seeded, if local seed 
is used, as soon as seed is ripe; germination 30-60 percent. 
Observations: Depended upon to a high degree by scaled quail for shade, 
cover, roost, and food; captive porcupine, rock squirrel, gray-spotted ground 
squirrel, Arizona jack rabbit. Produces great quantities of seeds, which are 
fattening and highly palatable to stock and have a high nutritional value. 
Browsed extensively by cattle, sheep, and goats, especially when other forage 
is scarce; has been known in a few instances to poison sheep, and concentrated 
feeding may cause scours in cattle. 
Atriplex collina, see Atriplex confertifolia. 
Atriplex confertifolia (Torr. and Frem.) Wats. Shadscale. 
Obione confertifotia Torr. and Frem., A. collina Woot. and Standl., A. sub- 
conferta Rydb. 
Range: 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16. 
Site: Dry, sun. 
Fruit: Achene, available in September. 
A small, spiny, rigid, dioecious, thickly-branched, densely clump-forming 
shrub; may occur on alkaline soil to pH 8.0; about 15,000 seeds per pound. 
Observations: Three species of birds; California mule deer. Of great im- 
portance as browse for sheep and, to Some extent, cattle; spines often interfere 
with browsing by cattle. 
Atriplex garrettii, see Atripler canescens. 
Atriplex hymenelytra (Torr.) Wats. Desert holly. 
Obione hymenelytra Torr. 
Range: 10. 
Site: Dry, sun. 
Fruit: Achene. 
A small, compact, rounded, dioecious evergreen shrub; in demand for Christ- 
mas decorations. Apparently not browsed. 
Atriplex lentiformis (Torr.) Wats. Lenscale. 
Obione lentiformis Torr. 
Range: 3, 9, 10, 11. 
Site: Dry, sun. 
Fruit: Achene, available September—October. 
A large dioecious or rarely monoecious shrub; branches wide-spreading; 
foliage very thick and dense; rapid growing; usually occurs on alkaline soil; 
about 412,000 seeds per pound. 
Observations: Fairly important as browse for mule deer; of great importance 
as a cover for wildlife. Much browsed by cattle, especially from December to 
July, when other feed is searce. 
Atriplex linearis, see Atriplex canescens. 
Atriplex macropoda, see Atriplex canescens. 
Atriplex orbicularis, see Atriplex breweri. 
Atriplex parryi Wats. Parry saltbush. 
Range: 10. 
Site: Dry, sun. 
Fruit: Achene. 
A small, spiny, rigid, dioecious shrub; occurs on alkaline soil. 
Atriplex polycarpa (Torr.) Wats. Cattle spinach. 
Obione polycarpa Torr. 
Range: 3, 9, 10, 11. 
Site: Dry, sun. 
Fruit: Achene, available in October. 
A small to large dioecious shrub; intricately and much branched; leaves 
early deciduous; a most important food of Hutettia tenella, the beet leafhopper, 
an insect carrying curly top disease of sugar beets; will grow on alkaline, but 
generally occurs on the richest of the desert soils; sonsetimes fruits abundantly 
when only 1 foot high; withstands up to 8 percent salt content of soil; germina- 
tion of seed 30-60 percent. 
Stomach records: California jack rabbit. Of great importance as browse for 
stock, especially since it so often oceurs with unpalatable species; killed by 
excessive browsing. 
