Salsola tragus/paulsenii complex
Family: Chenopodiaceae

Pertinent Synonyms & Notes (particularly those used in California; go to GRIN for other synonyms)

complex includes Salsola tragus L. (S. kali L. misapplied), S. australis R. Br., S. paulsenii Litv., & hybrid derivatives (S. gobicola Iljin & S. ryanii Hrusa)

Pertinent Common Names (particularly those used in California; go to GRIN for other common names)

Russian thistle, barbwire Russian thistle

Primary Disseminule Type

fruit with attached perianth bracts

Description (diagnostics are in brown)

Disseminule a spheric to obovoid fruit (utricle) with attached 5-parted perianth that may or may not be winged, measuring 2–12 mm diameter (including wings), glabrous.

Perianth forming a spinose apical tip (S. paulsenii) or not (S. tragus & hybrids). Wings in sets of 2 smaller (sometimes subulate) and 3 larger appendages (often prominently veined in taxa other than S. tragus).

Seed a slightly compressed sphere to somewhat conical, ca. 1–2 mm diameter, visible through the thin translucent pericarp.

Embryo coiled, greenish-brown, lacking perisperm.

Risk Assessment (codes in yellow or red indicate cause for concern; assessments are current as of mid-2011; click AUQP, NZBORIC, or NZBPI for access to the most recent versions of these databases and possible assessment changes)

AUQP, NZBORIC, NZBPI