Figuve 16. — Pistillate shadscale saltbush TAtriplex conferti fol iaJ with abundant utricle 

 "production. 



Atriplex confertifolia (shadscale saltbush) 



Shadscale saltbush is a compact spinescent shrub growing typically in dense clumps 

 from 2 to 8 dm high and 5 to 17 dm wide (fig. 16). The rigid, brittle branches are 

 scurfy when young, but become smooth and spiny with age. 



The leaves are nearly circular to elliptic, oval, or oblong, 9 to 25 mm long, 4 to 

 20 mm wide. They are gray-scurfy especially at maturity. 



Flowers of shadscale are similar to those of fourwing saltbush except in the 

 jiature of tiie bracts enclosing the seed. The bracts of shadscale are foliose, 5 to 12 

 nuii long, broadl}- oval to almost round, united at the base, -and have entire, free, 

 somewhat spreading margins (fig. 7). 



Shadscale blooms from late March in the southern portion of its range to mid-June 

 in the northern portion (Hanson 1962). Utricles mature about 15 weeks after blooming. 

 They tend to be fairly persistent through the winter months and are sought out by all 

 grazing animals. Cleaned utricles of this species average 64,920 per pound (142/g) 

 (Plummer and others 1968) . 



Hybridization: Hanson (1962) stated that shadscale hybridizes with Castle Valley 

 clover saltbush (Atriplex cuneata) (fig. 17), fourwing saltbush, Garrett saltbush (A. 

 garrettii) , mat saltbush (4. corrugata) , Gardner saltbush (A. gardneri) , and possibly 

 desertholly saltbush {A. hymenelytra) . Hanson (1962) further states that natural 

 hybrids with mat saltbush are nearly sterile and those with fourwing saltbush are 

 completely sterile. 



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