Chenopodium desertorum (J.M.Black) J.M.Black APNI* Description: Prostrate to erect, facultative perennial.
Leaves opposite or alternate, lamina triangular, hastate or elliptic, to c. 20 mm long, variously clothed with vesicular hairs; petiole short to long.
Inflorescence of dense axillary or terminal clusters; terminal flowers male or bisexual; lateral flowers female. Perianth segments 5, fused only at base, 1–2 mm long, densely covered with vesicular hairs. Stamens 5 or 0.
Pericarp dry or succulent. Seed horizontal, 1–1.5 mm diam., black.
Distribution and occurrence:
NSW subdivisions: ST, NWS, CWS, SWS, NWP, SWP, NFWP, SFWP
Other Australian states: Qld Vic. N.T. S.A. W.A.
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs Taxon concept:
| Key to the subspecies | |
1 | Hairs on perianth glistening, irregularly shaped, vesicular | subsp. desertorum |
| Hairs on perianth dull, vesicular, grey to white | 2 |
2 | Plant prostrate to decumbent; leaves to 10 mm long; flowers c. 1 mm diam.; inflorescences usually shorter than terminal leaves | 3 |
| Plant erect; leaves 5–20 mm long; flowers 1–2 mm diam.; inflorescence usually exceeding terminal leaves Back to 1 | 4 |
3 | Plant not foetid; leaves elliptic to circular, often only slightly mealy above | subsp. microphyllum |
| Plant usually foetid; leaves narrow-elliptic, mealy on both surfaces Back to 2 | subsp. virosum |
4 | Branches rigid; leaves to 10 mm long, circular to obovate, sparsely mealy; flowers c. 1 mm diam., sparsely to moderately covered with sessile vesicular hairs | subsp. rectum |
| Branches straight or flexuous; leaves 10–20 mm long, ovate to triangular, mealy below; flowers c. 1.5 mm diam., covered with simple or branched white hairs Back to 2 | subsp. anidiophyllum |
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data ***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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