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
Display IBRA region text
| Northern Flinders (FLB05) | Flinders Lofty Block | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU B2ab(i,ii,iii)) (Probable Decline) [grazed by sheep; habitat degradation] |
| Gawler Lakes (GAW03) | Gawler | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU B2ab(i,ii)) (Definite Decline) [could be extinct] |
| Arcoona Plateau (GAW04) | | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU D2) [highly localised] |
| Oodnadatta (STP02) | Stony Plains | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU B2ab(i,ii,iii)) (Probable Decline) [grazed by sheep; habitat degradation] |
| Baltana (STP07) | | Vulnerable (IUCN: VU B2ab(i,ii,iii)) (Probable Decline) [grazed by sheep; habitat degradation] |
Etymology
Atriplex from the Latin 'atriplexum' meaning an orach, a saltbush; an Ancient Latin name for this plant. Kochiana named after Maxwell "Max" Koch (1854-1925), a German-born Australian botanical collector.
Distribution and status
Endemic to South Australia and found only in a few sites around Lake Torrens and Oodnadatta. Native. Very rare in South Australia.
Herbarium regions: Lake Eyre, Gairdner-Torrens, Flinders Ranges
NRM region: South Australian Arid Lands
AVH map: SA distribution map (external link)
Plant description
Erect rounded annual or short-lived perennial shrub to 40cm high. Leaves thin with a scaly sheen on both surfaces; lamina very broadly obovate; base cuneate. Male flowers in glomerules forming continuous or disjunct slender spikes. Female flowers in axillary clusters. Fruits are pale-brown papery fruit, sessile or minutely stipitate; united towards the base into a compressed broadly turbinate tube 0.5-1.5 mm high and 1.5-2.5 mm wide at the apex, expanding above into thin appressed prominently veined fan-shaped valves with sinuate margins, 5-8 mm wide and 2.5 mm high; appendages inflated, compressed, ovate to orbicular;, cordate at the base, equal to or exceeding the valves; attached at the apex of the tube of each bracteole by a short stipe. Seed embryo type is peripheral.
Seed collection and propagation
Collect seeds between October and November. Collect fruits that are starting to turn pale brown, drying off and papery. Fruits can be collected directly from the bush or from the ground underneath. 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 clean 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.
| Location | No. of seeds
(weight grams) | Number
of plants | Date
collected | Collection number
Collection location | Date
stored | % Viability | Storage
temperature | BGA
MSB | 29,400 (138.5 g)
16,700 (78.57 g) | | 9-Sep-2013 | DJD2744
Gairdner-Torrens | 24-Mar-2015 | 95% | +5°C, -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
| Date | Result | T0 | T50 | Pre-treatment | Germination medium | Incubator: Photoperiod / Thermoperiod |
| Sep-14 | 66% | 7 | NA |
500 mg/L gibberellic acid 24 h;
1% agar;
Incubated under spring/autumn conditions |
| Sep-14 | 34% | 7 | NA |
1% agar;
Incubated under spring/autumn conditions |
| Sep-14 | 22% | 7 | NA |
leached in water 3 d;
1% agar;
Incubated under spring/autumn conditions |
Result: Maximum percentage of germination observed.
T0: Number of days before first germinant observed.
T50: Number of days to achieve 50% germination.
Pre-treatment: The initial treatment that the seeds received prior to placement on germination media.
Germination medium: The substrate that seeds were placed on for the duration of the germination experiment.
Incubator conditions:
Photoperiod: The duration of light exposure that the seeds were subject to during a 24 hour period.
Thermoperiod: The constant or diurnal temperatures that seeds were subject to during a 24 hour period.
Winter conditions: 15°C 20 h (3am→11pm); 5°C 4 h (11pm→3am) / 10 h light (8am→6pm); 14 h dark (6pm→8am)
Spring/Autumn conditions: 22°C 12 h (8am→8pm); 10°C 12 h (8pm→8am) / 12 h light (8am→8pm); 12 h dark (8pm→8am)
Summer conditions: 30°C 14 h (6am→8pm); 15°C 10 h (8pm→6am) / 14 h light (6am→8pm); 10 h dark (8pm→6am)
