7,617
edits
Changes
From Gardenology.org - Plant Encyclopedia and Gardening Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to searchno edit summary
{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Atriplex''
| image = California Death Valley Ubehebe plant.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = [[Desert holly]], ''Atriplex hymenelytra''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Caryophyllales]]
| familia = [[Amaranthaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Chenopodioideae]]
| genus = '''''Atriplex'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
About 100-200 species, including:<br/>
''[[Atriplex alaskensis]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex amnicola]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex californica]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex calotheca]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex canescens]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex confertifolia]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex coronata]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex glabriuscula]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex halimus]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex heterosperma]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex hortensis]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex hymenelytra]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex laciniata]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex lentiformis]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex littoralis]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex longipes]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex nitens]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex nummularia]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex nuttallii]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex oblongifolia]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex patula]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex polycarpa]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex praecox]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex prostrata]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex rosea]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex sibirica]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex tatarica]]''
}}
'''''Atriplex''''' is a plant [[genus]] of 100-200 species, known by the common names of '''saltbush''' and '''orache''' (or '''orach'''). The genus is quite variable and widely distributed. The genus includes many desert and seashore plants and [[halophyte]]s, as well as plants of moist environments. Saltbushes are extremely tolerant of [[salt]] content in the ground: their name derives from the fact that they retain salt in their leaves, which makes them of great use in areas affected by [[soil salination]]. Many species are edible. However, the favored species for human consumption is ''A. hortensis''.
The '''Garden Orache''' (''A. hortensis''), also called '''red orach''', '''mountain spinach''' or '''French spinach''', is an annual [[leaf vegetable]] with a [[salt]]y, [[spinach]]-like taste. The plant grows 1-2 [[metre|m]] (3-6 [[foot (unit of length)|ft]]) in height and the leaves are used cooked or in [[salad]]s. It was commonly grown in [[Mediterranean]] regions from early times until [[spinach]] became the more favored leaf vegetable of choice. The leaves can come in red, white and green varieties. The green leaves were once used to color [[pasta]] in [[Italy]]. Another common use of orach was to mix with the herb [[sorrel]] to balance out its acid flavor.
The plant is also used as an [[ornamental plant]] in [[landscape|landscaping]].
''Atriplex'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species - see [[list of Lepidoptera which feed on Atriplex]].
==External links and References==
*Davidson, Alan. Oxford Companion to Food (1999). "Orach", p. 556. ISBN 0-19-211579-0
* [http://www.csiro.au/proprietaryDocuments/Saltbush_vitamin.pdf CSIRO Information Sheet: Saltbush lifts sheep meat vitamin content]: Meat from sheep which have grazed on saltbush has surprisingly high levels of [[vitamin E]], is leaner and more hydrated than regular [[lamb]] and has consumer appeal equal to grain-fed lamb. The vitamin E levels could have animal health benefits while extending the shelf-life and maintaining the fresh red colour of saltbush lamb.
* [http://cotton.pi.csiro.au/weeds.htm?page=Annual%20saltbush Images of ''A. muelleri'']
* [http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/40/paper/AR04031.htm Summary of CSIRO Scientific Article]: Examines the nutritive value and preference by sheep of two native Australian saltbush species, River Saltbush (''A. amnicola'') and Old Man Saltbush (''A. nummularia'').
* [http://www.cse.csiro.au/research/aglands/sand/Resources/Herbarium/Aspin.pdf Image of Spiny Fruited Saltbush (''A. spinibractea'')]
* [http://helios.bto.ed.ac.uk/bto/desertecology/saltbush.htm Images of two saltbush varieties from North A
merica], Four Wing Saltbush (''A. canescens'') and Desert Saltbush (''A. polycarpa'')
* [http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Chenopodiaceae/Atriplex.html A list of several varieties of Atriplex] (some links have pictures)
{{wikispecies|Atriplex}}
[[Category:Flora of Australia]]
[[Category:Amaranthaceae]]
[[Category:Leaf vegetables]]
[[Category:Flora of the Lower Colorado River Valley]]
[[Category:Halophytes and salt tolerant plants]]
| color = lightgreen
| name = ''Atriplex''
| image = California Death Valley Ubehebe plant.jpg
| image_width = 250px
| image_caption = [[Desert holly]], ''Atriplex hymenelytra''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Caryophyllales]]
| familia = [[Amaranthaceae]]
| subfamilia = [[Chenopodioideae]]
| genus = '''''Atriplex'''''
| genus_authority = [[Carolus Linnaeus|L.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Species
| subdivision =
About 100-200 species, including:<br/>
''[[Atriplex alaskensis]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex amnicola]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex californica]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex calotheca]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex canescens]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex confertifolia]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex coronata]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex glabriuscula]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex halimus]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex heterosperma]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex hortensis]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex hymenelytra]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex laciniata]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex lentiformis]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex littoralis]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex longipes]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex nitens]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex nummularia]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex nuttallii]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex oblongifolia]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex patula]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex polycarpa]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex praecox]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex prostrata]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex rosea]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex sibirica]]''<br/>
''[[Atriplex tatarica]]''
}}
'''''Atriplex''''' is a plant [[genus]] of 100-200 species, known by the common names of '''saltbush''' and '''orache''' (or '''orach'''). The genus is quite variable and widely distributed. The genus includes many desert and seashore plants and [[halophyte]]s, as well as plants of moist environments. Saltbushes are extremely tolerant of [[salt]] content in the ground: their name derives from the fact that they retain salt in their leaves, which makes them of great use in areas affected by [[soil salination]]. Many species are edible. However, the favored species for human consumption is ''A. hortensis''.
The '''Garden Orache''' (''A. hortensis''), also called '''red orach''', '''mountain spinach''' or '''French spinach''', is an annual [[leaf vegetable]] with a [[salt]]y, [[spinach]]-like taste. The plant grows 1-2 [[metre|m]] (3-6 [[foot (unit of length)|ft]]) in height and the leaves are used cooked or in [[salad]]s. It was commonly grown in [[Mediterranean]] regions from early times until [[spinach]] became the more favored leaf vegetable of choice. The leaves can come in red, white and green varieties. The green leaves were once used to color [[pasta]] in [[Italy]]. Another common use of orach was to mix with the herb [[sorrel]] to balance out its acid flavor.
The plant is also used as an [[ornamental plant]] in [[landscape|landscaping]].
''Atriplex'' species are used as food plants by the [[larva]]e of some [[Lepidoptera]] species - see [[list of Lepidoptera which feed on Atriplex]].
==External links and References==
*Davidson, Alan. Oxford Companion to Food (1999). "Orach", p. 556. ISBN 0-19-211579-0
* [http://www.csiro.au/proprietaryDocuments/Saltbush_vitamin.pdf CSIRO Information Sheet: Saltbush lifts sheep meat vitamin content]: Meat from sheep which have grazed on saltbush has surprisingly high levels of [[vitamin E]], is leaner and more hydrated than regular [[lamb]] and has consumer appeal equal to grain-fed lamb. The vitamin E levels could have animal health benefits while extending the shelf-life and maintaining the fresh red colour of saltbush lamb.
* [http://cotton.pi.csiro.au/weeds.htm?page=Annual%20saltbush Images of ''A. muelleri'']
* [http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/40/paper/AR04031.htm Summary of CSIRO Scientific Article]: Examines the nutritive value and preference by sheep of two native Australian saltbush species, River Saltbush (''A. amnicola'') and Old Man Saltbush (''A. nummularia'').
* [http://www.cse.csiro.au/research/aglands/sand/Resources/Herbarium/Aspin.pdf Image of Spiny Fruited Saltbush (''A. spinibractea'')]
* [http://helios.bto.ed.ac.uk/bto/desertecology/saltbush.htm Images of two saltbush varieties from North A
merica], Four Wing Saltbush (''A. canescens'') and Desert Saltbush (''A. polycarpa'')
* [http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Chenopodiaceae/Atriplex.html A list of several varieties of Atriplex] (some links have pictures)
{{wikispecies|Atriplex}}
[[Category:Flora of Australia]]
[[Category:Amaranthaceae]]
[[Category:Leaf vegetables]]
[[Category:Flora of the Lower Colorado River Valley]]
[[Category:Halophytes and salt tolerant plants]]
