Figure 40. — Thvee-year-old 

 prostrate kochia TKochia 

 prostrataJ transplanted 

 as seedling to a revege- 

 tated range southeast of 

 Ephraim, Sanpete County, 

 Utah. This plant began 

 producing seed the first 

 year as is common for 

 this species. (The hat 

 shows the relative size 

 of the plant. ) 



Hybridization: Prostrate kochia is highly polymorphic and consists of numerous 

 geographic races and ecotypes (Shishkin 1936) . We foresee great opportunity for 

 selection and development of superior strains for forage and cover. Kochia prostrata 

 is diploid, 2n = ca.18 (C.L. Pope and E. D. McArthur, data on file. Shrub Sciences 

 Laboratory, Provo, Utah). 



Distribution and Habitat: Prostrate kochia is native to arid and semiarid regions 

 of central Eurasia where it grows on alkaline, stony, and sandy steppes and plains 

 (Shishkin 1936) . Seed of several ecotypes were introduced into the United States 

 during the 1960's. This species appears to adapt well to the climate and soils of the 

 Intermountain area (Keller and Bleak 1974). It establishes readily from transplants 

 (fig. 40) and seed (fig. 41) . 



Figure 42. — Rows of 

 prostrate kochia 

 planted for seed 

 increase at the 

 Snow Field Station, 

 Sanpete County, Utah. 

 Note the volunteer 

 reproduction between 

 rows. 



33 



