Atriplex cristata Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd.
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Authority
Acevedo-Rodríguez, Pedro & collaborators. 1996. Flora of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 78: 1-581.
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Family
Amaranthaceae
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Scientific Name
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Description
Species Description - Monoecious, erect or decumbent subshrub to 1 m tall. Leaves alternate; blades 1-3 x 0.3-1.5 cm, chartaceous, lanceolate oblong, or oblanceolate, lower surface densely covered with whitish, farinaceous hairs, the apex acute or obtuse, and mucronate, the base tapering into a short petiole, the margins repand-dentate. Staminate flowers in short terminal spikes; pistillate flowers fascicled in leaf axils; bracteoles rounded, thick, crested. Calyx 5- lobed, ca. 0.5 mm long; stamens 5, 0.5 mm long; ovary lenticular, of 2 locules, the style short and thick, the stigmas 2, filiform. Fruit 5 mm long, covered with accrescent bracts with hornlike projections. Seeds 3-4 mm long, lenticular, yellowish brown.
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Discussion
Spinacia littoralis Jacq., E n u m . Syst. P L 33. 1760. Atriplex littoralis (Jacq.) Fawc. & Rendle, J. Bot. 64: 15. 1926, nonL., 1753.
Axyrispentandra Jacq., Select. Stirp. Amer. Hist. 244. 1763, nom. illegit. Atriplex pentandra (Jacq.) Standi., N. Amer. Fl. 21: 54. 1916, nom. illegit.
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Distribution
Rare, occasionally found along sandy beaches. Newfound Bay (W285F). Also on St. Croix, St. Thomas, and Tortola; Florida, Bahamas, Greater Antilles, Curasao and northern South America.
South America| Bahamas South America| Florida United States of America North America| Tortola Virgin Islands South America| Saint Thomas Virgin Islands of the United States South America| Saint Croix Virgin Islands of the United States South America|