Botanical art
Prior names
Atriplex vesicaria ssp. variabilis
Atriplex vesicaria ssp. sphaerocarpa
Atriplex vesicaria ssp. macrocystidia
Atriplex vesicaria ssp. calcicola
Atriplex vesicaria ssp. appendiculata
Atriplex paludosa var. appendiculata
Common names
Bladder Saltbush
Iriya
Etymology
Atriplex from the Latin 'atriplexum' meaning an orach, a saltbush, an Ancient Latin name for this plant. Vesicaria from the Latin 'vesicarius' meaning bladder-like or having a bladder, referring to then inflated fruit.
Distribution and status
Found scattered across South Australia except on Kangaroo Island and the South-east, growing in various habitats in drier areas, including coastal dunes, salt pans, salt lakes, sandy plains and limestone ridges. Also found in all mainland states. Native. Common in South Australia. Common in the other states.
Herbarium regions: North Western, Lake Eyre, Nullarbor, 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
A highly variable species with eight subspecies recognises in other states but not South Australia, where the subspecies tend to intergrade. Dioecious, erect or decumbent shrub to 1 m high. Leaves to 25 mm long and 15 mm wide, elliptic to oblong or obovate, acute, obtuse or rounded, usually entire, attenuate at the base, sparsely to densely scaly. Male flowers in dense clusters arranged in a terminal spike or panicle and female flowers with 2 to many in the upper axils. Flowering throughout the year. Fruiting bracteoles sessile or with a very short pedicel; valves free or fused to above the seed, orbicular to ovate-triangular or rhomboid, obtuse to mucronate, to 13 mm long and wide, entire or dentate towards the apex, cuneate to cordate at the base; appendages thin-walled and bladder-like, attached to the base of the valves or fused to one another below the bracteoles or to the bracteole margin, sometimes absent.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between January and December. Collect ripe straw coloured fruits, check that they contain viable seeds. Fruits can be collected directly from the bush or from the ground underneath. Remove twigs and other plant material. Place the fruits in a tray and leave to dry for one to two weeks. No cleaning is required if only the fruits are collected. The seed can be stored in the fruit or can be cleaned further. Rub the fruit gently by hand to dislodge the seeds. Use a sieve to separate 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 can be high but seed availability can be low.
| Location | No. of seeds (weight grams) | Number of plants | Date collected | Collection number Collection location | Date stored | % Viability | Storage temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGA MSB | 4,200 (74 g) 4,200 (74 g) | 100+ | 1-Nov-2005 | DJD164 Eyre Peninsula | 28-Jul-2006 | 65% | -18°C |
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.