Plants of
South Australia
Chenopodium nitrariaceum
Amaranthaceae
Nitre Goosefoot
Display all 18 images
Regional Species Conservation Assessments per IBRA subregion.
Least concern
Near threatened
Rare
Vulnerable
Endangered
Critically endangered
Extinct
Data deficient
Adelaide
Arkaroola
Ceduna
Coober Pedy
Hawker
Innamincka
Marla
Marree
Mount Gambier
Oodnadatta
Renmark
Wudinna
Keith
Yunta
Enlarge Map
•
Copy Map
Copy Map
Display IBRA region text

Botanical art

Kath Alcock paintings: 4

Prior names

Rhagodia nitrariacea

Common names

Nitre Goosefoot

Etymology

Chenopodium from the Greek 'chen' meaning goose and 'pod' meaning foot, referring to the shape of the leaves in some species. Nitrariaceum meaning resemblance to the genus Nitraria.

Distribution and status

Found across north-eastern South Australia growing on heavy alluvial soils, chiefly by the Murray River and its associated floodplains. Also found in all mainland States. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in the other States.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre, Gairdner-Torrens, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty, Murray, Yorke Peninsula, Southern Lofty, Green Adelaide
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)

Plant description

Divaricately branched spinescent shrub to 2 m high. Leaves alternate, frequently clustered, spathulate to linear, to 5 cm long and 5 mm wide, sparsely covered with collapsed vesicular hairs. Inflorescence a terminal spinescent panicle to 15 cm long or reduced to a short spike. Flowers polygamous, clustered. Flowering between March and October. Fruits are pale brown spike with each fruit enveloped by the dry perianth, dry. Pericarp membranous, white, free, pubescent above. Seeds are red-brown depressed-globular reniform to 1.2 mm diameter. Seed embryo type is peripheral.

Seed collection and propagation

Collect seeds between July and February. Collect fruit-heads that are maturing, turning pale brown firm black seeds inside. Place the fruits-heads in a tray and leave to dry for one to two weeks. Then gently rub the fruits with your fingers or a rubber bung to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to seperate the unwanted material. Store the seeds with a desiccant such as dried silica beads or dry rice, in an air tight container in a cool and dry place. Seed viability is usually high.

Seeds stored:
  Hide
LocationNo. of seeds
(weight grams)		Number
of plants		Date
collected		Collection number
Collection location		Date
stored		% ViabilityStorage
temperature
BGA5,800 (1.83 g)30+7-Feb-2013DJD2661
Murray		27-Feb-201488%-18°C
Location: BGA — the seeds are stored at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, MSB — the seeds are stored at the Millennium Seed Bank, Kew, England.
Number of plants: This is the number of plants from which the seeds were collected.
Collection location: The Herbarium of South Australia's region name.
% Viability: Percentage of filled healthy seeds determined by a cut test or x-ray.
Germination table:
  Display
We acknowledge the contributions of the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre, the Botanic Gardens of South Australia, and the Department for Environment and Water.