Enchylaena tomentosa

Enchylaena tomentosa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Core eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Amaranthaceae
Subfamily: Camphorosmoideae
Genus: Enchylaena
Species: E. tomentosa
Binomial name
Enchylaena tomentosa
R.Br.
Varieties

E. tomentosa var. tomentosa
E. tomentosa var. glabra

Enchylaena tomentosa, commonly known as Barrier Saltbush or Ruby Saltbush, is a species of small shrub endemic to Australia.

Description

It grows as a small shrub, prostrate or erect, up to a metre high. It has slender leaves up to two centimetres long, and fruits that may be green, yellow or red. Both leaves and stems are densely covered in woolly hairs.[1][2]

Taxonomy

It was first published by Robert Brown in 1810, as the only species of Enchylaena. Since that time a number of putative new species have been published based on specimens that are now referred to this species; hence it has a number of taxonomic synonyms. Two varieties are recognised: the autonym E. tomentosa var. tomentosa, and a less woolly variety, E. tomentosa var. glabra, which was published by George Bentham in 1870.[3]

Distribution and habitat

It occurs throughout Australia, and has also naturalised in New Caledonia. It tolerates a range of soils, but prefers soils that are slightly saline.[1][2]

External links

References

  1. 1 2 Wilson, Paul G. "Chenopodiaceae". Flora of Australia IV. pp. 213–215.
  2. 1 2 "Enchylaena tomentosa R.Br.". FloraBase. Department of Environment and Conservation, Government of Western Australia.
  3. "Enchylaena tomentosa R.Br.". Australian Plant Name Index (APNI), IBIS database. Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research, Australian Government.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, March 19, 2013. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.