''Atriplex amnicola'', commonly known as river saltbush or swamp saltbush, is a species of
shrub
A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...
in the family
Amaranthaceae. Endemic to
Western Australia, it is native to the floodplains of the
Murchison and
Gascoyne
The Gascoyne region is one of the nine administrative regions of Western Australia. It is located in the northwest of Western Australia, and consists of the local government areas of Carnarvon, Exmouth, Shark Bay and Upper Gascoyne. The Ga ...
Rivers.
River saltbush is a multi-branched shrub whose form ranges from prostrate to erect. In ideal conditions it may be up to four metres wide, and the erect form may be up to 2.5 metres high. The branches of river saltbush spread along the ground, and may
layer and take root, especially in the prostrate form. The leaves are bluish-green and covered in fine silvery hairs. There is great variation in leaf size and shape, but they are often spear-shaped, and usually between one and three centimetres long. Male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. Male flowers are a purplish-green colour, and help in clusters at the ends of branches; female flowers usually cluster in the axils between leaves and stems. This is a predominantly
dioecious
Dioecy (; ; adj. dioecious , ) is a characteristic of a species, meaning that it has distinct individual organisms (unisexual) that produce male or female gametes, either directly (in animals) or indirectly (in seed plants). Dioecious reproductio ...
species, with male and female flowers produced on separate individuals. The fruit is a woody case about five millimetres square, each containing a single seed.
River saltbush is very highly salt tolerant, and is used in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
in the rehabilitation of saline areas. When grown in saline soil, it has the best long-term survival and growth of any saltbush. It is also fairly
drought tolerant, and tolerates waterlogging well once mature. It is highly favoured by
sheep, and recovers well from grazing. Studies have shown that the meat of sheep grazed on river saltbush is high in
Vitamin E and has high "consumer appeal". Disadvantages include a low
volunteering rate, and difficulties establishing by direct seeding.
See also
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Salinity in Australia
References
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External links
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.
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'').
{{Taxonbar, from=Q4817577
amnicola
Eudicots of Western Australia
Caryophyllales of Australia
Taxa named by Paul G. Wilson
Dioecious plants