Atriplex semibaccata, commonly known as Australian saltbush, berry saltbush, or creeping saltbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family

Amaranthaceae Amaranthaceae is a family of flowering plants commonly known as the amaranth family, in reference to its type genus ''Amaranthus''. It includes the former goosefoot family Chenopodiaceae and contains about 165 genera and 2,040 species, making it ...

and is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to Australia. It is a

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal ...

native to Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, but has been introduced into other states and to overseas countries. It flowers and fruits in spring, and propagates from seed when the fruit splits open. This species of

saltbush Saltbush is a vernacular plant name that most often refers to ''Atriplex'', a genus of about 250 plants distributed worldwide from subtropical to subarctic regions. ''Atriplex'' species are native to Australia, North and South America, and Eurasia. ...

is adapted to inconsistent rainfall, temperature and humidity extremes and to poor soil. It is used for rehabilitation, medicine, as a

cover crop In agriculture, cover crops are plants that are planted to cover the soil rather than for the purpose of being harvested. Cover crops manage soil erosion, soil fertility, soil quality, water, weeds, pests, diseases, biodiversity and wildlife i ...

and for

fodder Fodder (), also called provender (), is any agriculture, agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock, such as cattle, domestic rabbit, rabbits, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. "Fodder" refers particularly to food g ...

. Its introduction to other countries has had an environmental and economic impact on them.

Description

''Atriplex semibaccata'' is a taproot

herb, that has prostrated and

decumbent This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary o ...

characteristics. Native to Australia and widespread in all mainland Australian states, ''A. semibaccata'' thrives in harsh and saline conditions. ''A. semibaccata'' is often mat-forming or semi-erect and can grow 40–80 cm tall, spanning a diameter of 1.5-2m. Its slender branches arise from a woody taproot. Leaves are white scruffy,

subsessile In botany, sessility (meaning "sitting", used in the sense of "resting on the surface") is a characteristic of plant parts (such as flowers and leaves) that have no stalk. Plant parts can also be described as subsessile, that is, not completely ...

(small stalk) and are spatulate or obovate (oblong or elliptic) when the plant is young. Leaves develop a green to grey-green colour, with a length of 5-30mm and a width of 2-9mm, where the base is tapered and tip obtuse. Leaves are thin, oblong-elliptic, obtuse and have short

petiolate Petiole may refer to: *Petiole (botany), the stalk of a leaf, attaching the blade to the stem *Petiole (insect anatomy) In entomology, petiole is the technical term for the narrow waist of some hymenopteran insects, especially ants, bees, a ...

(1–2 cm). Staminate flowers are tiny, terminal and 1.5mm wide, whereas

pistillate flowers This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary o ...

cluster distally from leaves. ''A. semibaccata is'' monoecious. Fruiting bracteoles are red or orange when mature, as well as having a convex and rhombic shape (diamond like appearance). Fruits are

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

, united at base, margin toothed, sessile and are a length of 4-6mm.Heuzé V., Thiollet H., Tran G., 2016. Creeping saltbush (Atriplex semibaccata). Feedipedia, a programme by INRA, CIRAD, AFZ and FAO. https://www.feedipedia.org/node/183 ''A. semibaccata'' is seed propagated and seeds are dimorphic. Black seeds are 1.5-1.7mm, while brown seeds are 2mm in size. It can be used as

and is useful for degraded or salt affected land. Optimal conditions for habitat, include dry/subtropical climate and direct sunlight. ''A. semibaccata'' has an all-year season of interest and a

plant hardiness Hardiness of plants describes their ability to survive adverse growing conditions. It is usually limited to discussions of climatic adversity. Thus a plant's ability to tolerate cold, heat, drought, flooding, or wind are typically considered measur ...

zone of 4. ''A. semibaccata'' requires light

hydration Hydration may refer to: * Hydrate, a substance that contains water * Hydration enthalpy, energy released through hydrating a substance * Hydration reaction, a chemical addition reaction where a hydroxyl group and proton are added to a compound * ...

in soil that is either

clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolin, Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4). Clays develop plasticity when wet, due to a molecular film of water surrounding the clay par ...

loam Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand (particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–sil ...

peat Peat (), also known as turf (), is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs. The peatland ecosystem covers and is the most efficien ...

sand Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class of s ...

or silt as well as a

soil pH Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity (alkalinity) of a soil. Soil pH is a key characteristic that can be used to make informative analysis both qualitative and quantitatively regarding soil characteristics. pH is defined as the neg ...

that is neutral.

Taxonomy and naming

''Atriplex semibaccata'' was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown in his '' Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen''. The species is classified in the

family and Chenopodiaceae subfamily, along with other halophytic plants (salt-tolerant) species. ''A. semibaccata'' has several reported varieties such as var. ''melanocarpa'', var. ''biformis,'' var. ''microcarpa'' var. '' gracilis'' and var. ''appendiculata''. These variations include the morphological differences within this species. Australia's

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

range is centred on bracteoles, which are the succulent fruits of ''A. semibaccata.'' There are two forms of ''A. semibaccata'' in Australia. In

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

and southern arid areas are home to rhomboid and succulent bracteoles, whereas slim dry and deltoid shaped bracteoles are found in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

and

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

. ''A. semibaccata'' hybridises with Atriplex spinibractea, where both species subside in New South Wales. This formed the variant, known as A. neurivalvis in

northern Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a ra ...

Queensland, where succulence is not apparent in its bracteoles. Genetic variability analysis with the use of

molecular marker A molecular marker is a molecule, sampled from some source, that gives information about its source. For example, DNA is a molecular marker that gives information about the organism from which it was taken. For another example, some proteins can be ...

s has investigated ''A. semibaccata'' and other species of the genus ''Atriplex''. Phylogenetic analysis has confirmed a deviation from all other tested species ('' A. halimus, A. amnicola'', '' A. lentiformis'', '' A. canescens,'' ''A. undulata'' and '' A. nummularia''). ''A. semibaccata'' is distinguished as one of two major groups that are least similar to the other species. The common names for ''A. semibaccata'' include the ''Australia saltbush.'' It is also commonly called ''Australian saltweed, creeping

'' and ''berry saltbush''. This is one of many ''Atriplex'' species native to Australia and is referenced widely in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

. The genus name Atriplex has

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

origins from the ‘''atriplexum''’, which has been derived from the Greek word ‘''astraphaxes''’, which translates to "''saltbush''" or "''orach''". The species

epithet An epithet (, ), also byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) known for accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, di ...

‘''semibaccata''’ is derived from the Latin word ‘''semi''’ which translates to "half", while ‘''baccata''’ means "bearing berries".

Distribution and habitat

This species of saltbush is

to Australia and is native to Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, but has become

naturalised Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-citizen of a country may acquire citizenship or nationality of that country. It may be done automatically by a statute, i.e., without any effort on the part of the i ...

in the Australian Capital Territory, on

Norfolk Island Norfolk Island (, ; Norfuk: ''Norf'k Ailen'') is an external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head and about from Lord Howe Island. Together with ...

and possibly Tasmania. It has also been introduced to North and South America, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East, Arabian Peninsula, Asia, and the Mediterranean region. A. ''semibaccata'' was introduced to different regions worldwide as a

drought A drought is defined as drier than normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D. Jiang, A. Khan, W. Pokam Mba, D. Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, an ...

and salt tolerant fodder crop. Similarly, A. ''semibaccata'' was introduced in

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

for grazing purposes. Located in heavy

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life. Some scientific definitions distinguish ''dirt'' from ''soil'' by restricting the former te ...

that is slightly

saline Saline may refer to: * Saline (medicine), a liquid with salt content to match the human body * Saline water, non-medicinal salt water * Saline, a historical term (especially US) for a salt works or saltern Places * Saline, Calvados, a commune in ...

, in woodland that is close to

salt lake A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water that has a concentration of salts (typically sodium chloride) and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes (often defined as at least three grams of salt per litre). ...

s, and is usually an

invader ''InVader'' is the fourth album by Finnish glam metal band Reckless Love, released on 4 March 2016 through Spinefarm Records. Track listing All songs written by Olli Herman, Pepe Reckless, and Ikka Wirtanen, unless otherwise noted. Reception Wr ...

of disturbed areas. First reported distribution was in California in 1901 as a

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animals ...

forage Forage is a plant material (mainly plant leaves and stems) eaten by grazing livestock. Historically, the term ''forage'' has meant only plants eaten by the animals directly as pasture, crop residue, or immature cereal crops, but it is also used m ...

alkali In chemistry, an alkali (; from ar, القلوي, al-qaly, lit=ashes of the saltwort) is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. An alkali can also be defined as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a ...

ne regions. Seeds were soon after distributed (1916) and by 1940, A. ''semibaccata'' inhabited southern coast regions and irregularly inland. Optimal conditions for

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

, include dry/

subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Geographical z ...

climate and direct sunlight.

Ecology

Reproductive biology

''A. semibaccata'' reproduces by seed propagation. This appears when the fruiting bracteoles split when ripe and dry, exposing an individual seed. The seed is with ascending radicle. ''A. semibaccata'' is self-compatible and

wind pollinated Anemophily or wind pollination is a form of pollination whereby pollen is distributed by wind. Almost all gymnosperms are anemophilous, as are many plants in the order Poales, including grasses, sedges, and rushes. Other common anemophilous pla ...

''.'' Male flowers occur as small glomerules in distal axils, while female flowers appear in scattered axillary clusters.

Seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

persistence in soil and

germination Germination is the process by which an organism grows from a seed or spore. The term is applied to the sprouting of a seedling from a seed of an angiosperm or gymnosperm, the growth of a sporeling from a spore, such as the spores of fungi, fer ...

conditions are unknown. ''A. semibaccata'' does not obtain

dormancy Dormancy is a period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and (in animals) physical activity are temporarily stopped. This minimizes metabolic activity and therefore helps an organism to conserve energy. Dormancy tends to be clo ...

when

germination rate Germination is the process by which an organism grows from a seed or spore. The term is applied to the sprouting of a seedling from a seed of an angiosperm or gymnosperm, the growth of a sporeling from a spore, such as the spores of fungi, fer ...

s are high. In Australia, ''A. semibaccata'' flowers and fruits in

spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a ...

and

summer Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...

, however flowering is prolonged in Western Australia. ''A. semibaccata'' in the

northern hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the solar system as Earth's Nort ...

(

USA The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

) typically flowers in spring (March–May), summer (June–August) and early

winter Winter is the coldest season of the year in polar and temperate climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Different cultures ...

(December–February).

Physiology and phenology

The development of C₄

photosynthesis Photosynthesis is a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that, through cellular respiration, can later be released to fuel the organism's activities. Some of this chemical energy is stored i ...

has played a role in the evolutionary success of the Atriplex genus. Various C₄ Chenopodiaceae plants differ from the

Kranz anatomy carbon fixation or the Hatch–Slack pathway is one of three known photosynthetic processes of carbon fixation in plants. It owes the names to the 1960's discovery by Marshall Davidson Hatch and Charles Roger Slack that some plants, when suppl ...

of Atriplex, which includes a layer of

bundle sheath cells A vascular bundle is a part of the transport system in vascular plants. The transport itself happens in the stem, which exists in two forms: xylem and phloem. Both these tissues are present in a vascular bundle, which in addition will includ ...

surrounding the

vascular bundle A vascular bundle is a part of the transport system in vascular plants. The transport itself happens in the stem, which exists in two forms: xylem and phloem. Both these tissues are present in a vascular bundle, which in addition will inclu ...

, as well as radially arranged palisade cells, with little variation in C₄ leaf types. Depending on the immediate environmental conditions, ''A. semibaccata'' demonstrates the ability to adapt. This relates to environmental conditions such as

air temperature Atmospheric temperature is a measure of temperature at different levels of the Earth's atmosphere. It is governed by many factors, including insolation, incoming solar radiation, humidity and altitude. When discussing surface air temperature, the ...

soil moisture Soil moisture is the water content of the soil. It can be expressed in terms of volume or weight. Soil moisture measurement can be based on ''in situ'' probes (e.g., capacitance probes, neutron probes) or remote sensing methods. Water that enters ...

salinity Salinity () is the saltiness or amount of salt dissolved in a body of water, called saline water (see also soil salinity). It is usually measured in g/L or g/kg (grams of salt per liter/kilogram of water; the latter is dimensionless and equal ...

and

evaporation Evaporation is a type of vaporization that occurs on the surface of a liquid as it changes into the gas phase. High concentration of the evaporating substance in the surrounding gas significantly slows down evaporation, such as when humidi ...

. Greater exposure to a saline environment, induces a salt stress response which displays a decrease number of

chloroplast A chloroplast () is a type of membrane-bound organelle known as a plastid that conducts photosynthesis mostly in plant and algal cells. The photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll captures the energy from sunlight, converts it, and stores it in ...

s in chlorenchyma and bundle sheath cells, as well as a decreased root diameter, leaf size, leaf stromal conductance and the net leaf photosynthetic rate. Higher saline exposure increases intracellular CO₂ concentration and the number of stomata per unit leaf area. During winter, ''A. semibaccata'' becomes dormant, whereas other ''Atriplex'' species maintain function. Low and inconsistent

rain Rain is water droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth. It provides water f ...

fall, varying temperatures,

humidity Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present. Humidity depe ...

and poor soil are contributing factors that involve ''A. semibaccata'' to adapt.

Cultivation

Environmental requirements

''A. semibaccata'' is native to Australia, however it is not located in

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...

and

humid Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present. Humidity depen ...

regions such as Northern Queensland. It is a

tolerant species of

arid and semi-arid regions. A region with a mean annual rainfall of 250-900mm is optimal for ''A. semibaccata''. It is a low spreading and deep-rooted

sub-shrub A subshrub (Latin ''suffrutex'') or dwarf shrub is a short shrub, and is a woody plant. Prostrate shrub is a related term. "Subshrub" is often used interchangeably with "bush".Jackson, Benjamin, Daydon; A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their De ...

that does not require much

. Sun exposed regions are an optimal condition for growth. ''A. semibaccata'' is winter tolerant and can survive a minimum air

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that expresses quantitatively the perceptions of hotness and coldness. Temperature is measured with a thermometer. Thermometers are calibrated in various temperature scales that historically have relied o ...

of -5 °C. ''A. semibaccata'' is salt-laden wind tolerant and has been indicated as an environmental advantage against plants that are distributed along

coastal region The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. The Earth has around of coastline. Coasts are important zones in n ...

s. Additionally, saline soil allows for rapid and more profuse seed

. This is a competitive advantage, against

native species In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often popularised as "with no human intervention") during history. The term is equ ...

worldwide. ''A.'' ''semibaccata'' has a high degree of salt tolerance (9-16 dS/m) and grows in soil that is exposed to light and is acidic. ''A. semibaccata'' grows in various soil types, including clay loams, sandy loams and waterlogged environments.

Movement and dispersal

Natural dispersion of ''A. semibaccata'' are over short distances as seeds are found under remnant and understorey plants. Animal dispersion expands the distance covered of ''A. semibaccata''. The red fruiting

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of ...

eoles of ''A. semibaccata'' are

and are attractive to

herbivore A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example foliage or marine algae, for the main component of its diet. As a result of their plant diet, herbivorous animals typically have mouthpart ...

species. Species that eat the fruiting bracteoles are responsible for animal dispersion and spread the seed of A. semibaccata. ''A. semibaccata'' seeds have been found in the digestive tract of

reptile Reptiles, as most commonly defined are the animals in the class Reptilia ( ), a paraphyletic grouping comprising all sauropsids except birds. Living reptiles comprise turtles, crocodilians, squamates (lizards and snakes) and rhynchocephalians ( ...

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

s and

fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

es in

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. Accidental introduction of ''A. semibaccata'' is a result of relocating

hay Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticated ...

and other fodder crops. ''A. semibaccata'' was introduced internationally to various countries, to acquire the drought and saline resistant properties that allow for use as a

and ground cover. ''A. semibaccata'' is intentionally dispersed for its uses.

Uses

Cover crop

In its native range of Australia, ''A. semibaccata'' is used in

agroforestry Agroforestry is a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland. Trees produce a wide range of useful and marketable products from fruits/nuts, medicines, wood products, etc. This intentional ...

to improve the performance and profitability of

vineyard A vineyard (; also ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is known as viticulture. Vineyards ...

s. ''A. semibaccata'' has been introduced to regions with reduced water availability due to drought and increased temperatures, as a sustainable

that deters potential

pest Pest or The Pest may refer to: Science and medicine * Pest (organism), an animal or plant deemed to be detrimental to humans or human concerns ** Weed, a plant considered undesirable * Infectious disease, an illness resulting from an infection ** ...

species. Native

cover crops such as ''A. semibaccata'' can increase the abundance of

symbiotic Symbiosis (from Greek , , "living together", from , , "together", and , bíōsis, "living") is any type of a close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms, be it mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasit ...

invertebrate Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chordate ...

s that can improve pest control and limit the need of synthetic pest controls.

Rehabilitation

''A. semibaccata'' has been used for regenerative purposes, where it has been planted to restore mine spoils. ''A. semibaccata'' is adaptive to the saline and drought conditions of mining waste and exhibits germination among these regions. ''A. semibaccata'' has also been used for

landscaping Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including the following: # Living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly called gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal o ...

purposes and as ground cover to control soil and

erosion Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is distin ...

. ''A. semibaccata'' is an effective weed control in verges,

roundabout A roundabout is a type of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junction.''The New Shorter Oxford En ...

s and nature strips. Additional uses of ''A. semibaccata'' includes

land reclamation Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, and also known as land fill (not to be confused with a waste landfill), is the process of creating new land from oceans, seas, riverbeds or lake beds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamati ...

without the need for saline water irrigation systems and restoring bare patches of ground.

Fodder/ Animal feed

''A. semibaccata'' is used as saltland

pasture Pasture (from the Latin ''pastus'', past participle of ''pascere'', "to feed") is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep, or swine ...

and produces

for grazing animals when sources of paddock feed are limited. This can improve production from saltland sites, reduce salt movement and stabilise soil structure. ''A. semibaccata'' is a readily grazed ''Atriplex''

, which provides a more diverse diet and primary fodder/ animal feed. The high salt content in

foliage A leaf ( : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, ste ...

reduces the use of ''A. semibaccata'' as a food source if availability of drinking water for

is not adequate. ''A. semibaccata'' is

palatable Palatability (or palatableness) is the hedonic reward (i.e., pleasure) provided by foods or fluids that are agreeable to the "palate", which often varies relative to the homeostatic satisfaction of nutritional, water, or energy needs. The palatabi ...

when young, contains a low energy value and is a source of crude protein. Additional food supplements and adequate drinking water are necessary for livestock.

Medicinal

''A. semibaccata''

essential oil An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the o ...

s contain compounds with

antibacterial An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the treatment and prevention of ...

and

antioxidant Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals. This can lead to polymerization and other chain reactions. They are frequently added to industrial products, such as fuels and lubricant ...

properties. The essential oils of ''A. semibaccata'' are moderately

synergistic Synergy is an interaction or cooperation giving rise to a whole that is greater than the simple sum of its parts. The term ''synergy'' comes from the Attic Greek word συνεργία ' from ', , meaning "working together". History In Christi ...

with

gentamicin Gentamicin is an antibiotic used to treat several types of bacterial infections. This may include bone infections, endocarditis, pelvic inflammatory disease, meningitis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and sepsis among others. It is not e ...

, which is an antibiotic that is used to treat several bacterial infections. ''A. semibaccata'' is suitable for

revegetation Revegetation is the process of replanting and rebuilding the soil of disturbed land. This may be a natural process produced by plant colonization and succession, manmade rewilding projects, accelerated process designed to repair damage to a land ...

of marginal lands, with the use of its

biomass Biomass is plant-based material used as a fuel for heat or electricity production. It can be in the form of wood, wood residues, energy crops, agricultural residues, and waste from industry, farms, and households. Some people use the terms bi ...

as an essential oil for the control of microbial infections. Additionally,

alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...

extracts from ''A. semibaccata'', such as scopoletin, coumarin,

scopolin Scopolin is a glucoside of scopoletin formed by the action of the enzyme scopoletin glucosyltransferase. References Bibliography

* * O-methylated coumarins Phenol glucosides {{aromatic-stub ...

, umbelliferorne, 7-methoxy coumarin, phenolic acid and P-coumaric acid has antibacterial activity. Isolated compounds from ''A. semibaccata'', such as compounds

tyramine Tyramine ( ) (also spelled tyramin), also known under several other names, is a naturally occurring trace amine derived from the amino acid tyrosine. Tyramine acts as a catecholamine releasing agent. Notably, it is unable to cross the blood-b ...

and lignanamide exhibit

cytotoxic Cytotoxicity is the quality of being toxic to cells. Examples of toxic agents are an immune cell or some types of venom, e.g. from the puff adder (''Bitis arietans'') or brown recluse spider (''Loxosceles reclusa''). Cell physiology Treating cells ...

activity against the

proliferation Proliferation may refer to: Weapons *Nuclear proliferation, the spread of nuclear weapons, material, and technology *Chemical weapon proliferation, the spread of chemical weapons, material, and technology * Small arms proliferation, the spread of ...

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ' ...

lymphoblasts (CCRF-CEM) cells.

Environmental impact

''A. semibaccata'' is grown and dispersed over short distances. This creates a dense fire-retardant ground cover that displaces

plant species. ''A. semibaccata'' is identified as an

invasive Invasive may refer to: *Invasive (medical) procedure *Invasive species *Invasive observation, especially in reference to surveillance *Invasively progressive spread of disease from one organ in the body to another, especially in reference to cancer ...

species by the US Fish and Wildlife service and is known to affect

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

such as

Panicum niihauense ''Panicum niihauense'' is a rare species of grass known by the common names ''lau 'ehu'' and Niihau panicgrass. It is endemic to Hawaii, where it has been found on the islands of Niihau and Kauai. It has not been observed on Niihau since 1949, a ...

(critically endangered),

Verbesina dissita ''Verbesina dissita'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae known by the common name bigleaf crownbeard. It is native to northern Baja California in Mexico, where it is known from about 23 occurrences, although some of the ...

and

Sesbania tomentosa ''Sesbania tomentosa'', commonly known as Oahu riverhemp and ''ōhai'', is an endangered species of plant in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is endemic to the main Hawaiian Islands as well as Nihoa and Necker Island. It inhabits low shrublands ...

Scaevola coriacea ''Scaevola coriacea'', the dwarf naupaka, is one of the ten Scaevolas (flowering plants in the ''Goodenia'' family, Goodeniaceae), that are endemic to Hawaii. It was first described in 1842 by Thomas Nuttall, and its specific epithet, ''coriace ...

and

are native and endangered grass species of

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

. Scaevola coriacea is found in three naturally occurring populations and Sesbania tomentosa is located on the island of

Molokai Molokai , or Molokai (), is the fifth most populated of the eight major islands that make up the Hawaiian Islands, Hawaiian Islands archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is 38 by 10 miles (61 by 16 km) at its greatest length an ...

. In California, USA , ''A. semibaccata'' competes with native plants such as Verbesina dissita for space, shade, water and light. ''A. semibaccata'' creates an ecological shift that is caused by competition for resources, shading, ecosystem change and habitat alteration. ''A. semibaccata'' enhances

biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...

through biological control.

Agroecosystem Agroecosystems are the ecosystems supporting the food production systems in our farms and gardens. As the name implies, at the core of an agroecosystem lies the human activity of agriculture. As such they are the basic unit of study in Agroecology, ...

s that involve ''A. semibaccata'' increase the abundance of

s that assist in pest control as well as an increased range of

predators Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill the ...

and

parasitoid In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host (biology), host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionarily stable str ...

s. ''A. semibaccata'' acts as a

that provides shelter for various invertebrates, this increases biodiversity and bioactivity. This provides the environment for natural breakdown of organic material, aeration and

nutrient cycling A nutrient cycle (or ecological recycling) is the movement and exchange of inorganic and organic matter back into the production of matter. Energy flow is a unidirectional and noncyclic pathway, whereas the movement of mineral nutrients is cycli ...

that keeps ''A. semibaccata'' and surrounding vegetation healthy. Additionally, this abundant soil diversity supports pest predators that prevent harmful organisms from over populating. This prevents the destruction of crops. ''A. semibaccata'' improves the quality and structure of soil, suppresses weeds and contributes to pest management. File:Starr 031007-2051 Atriplex semibaccata.jpg, Invasive growth in Kahoolawe,

File:Atriplex semibaccata by Scott Zona - 003.jpg, Invasive growth in the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

File:Starr 081230-0706 Atriplex semibaccata.jpg, Invasive growth of in Kahoolawe,

Economic impact

The economic impact of ''A. semibaccata'' is positive in regions where it is not

. Benefits that have a positive economic effect include its value in rehabilitation, medicinal properties as well as food and cover cropper. The negative economic impact is generated by its

invasiveness Minimally invasive procedures (also known as minimally invasive surgeries) encompass surgical techniques that limit the size of incisions needed, thereby reducing wound healing time, associated pain, and risk of infection. Surgery by definition ...

that endangers

, causes a change in ecological and alters the surrounding

. This requires physical and chemical control processes that can be laborious and require economic expenditure. Control chemicals for ''A. semibaccata'' involve

herbicide Herbicides (, ), also commonly known as weedkillers, are substances used to control undesired plants, also known as weeds.EPA. February 201Pesticides Industry. Sales and Usage 2006 and 2007: Market Estimates. Summary in press releasMain page fo ...

s, such as dicamba, dicamba/MCPA amine, 2,4-D and picloram/ 2,4-D. To physically remove ''A. semibaccata'', hand pulling is an effective method due to its small size. To physically control ''A. semibaccata'', it must be uprooted prior to seed production. Site revision is required to remove plants arising from residual seed pools.

References

External links

FAO:''Atriplex semibaccata''USDA Plants Profile: ''Atriplex semibaccata'' NSW Flora Online: ''Atriplex semibaccata''Online Field Guide to Common Saltmarsh Plants of Queensland
{{Taxonbar, from=Q4817608 semibaccata Caryophyllales of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of the Northern Territory Flora of South Australia Flora of Victoria (Australia) Eudicots of Western Australia Taxa named by Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773) Forages Edible fruits