Entry for Atriplex gardneri (Moquin-Tandon) D. Dietrich var. aptera (A. Nelson) S. L. Welsh & Crompton [family CHENOPODIACEAE]
Entry From
Flora of North America, Vol 4,
Names
Atriplex gardneri (Moquin-Tandon) D. Dietrich var. aptera (A. Nelson) S. L. Welsh & Crompton [family CHENOPODIACEAE], Great Basin Naturalist, 55: 326. 1995
Atriplex aptera A. Nelson [family CHENOPODIACEAE], Bot. Gaz., 34: 356. 1902
Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nuttall subsp. aptera (A. Nelson) H. M. Hall & Clements [family CHENOPODIACEAE]
Discussion
Atriplex gardneri var. aptera is a Great Plains-Steppe endemic.
The concept of Atriplex aptera is based on recurring and at least partially stabilized introgressant populations derived through hybridization between A. gardneri and A. canescens. Hence, the plants do not form a traditionally conceived taxon in the sense of being monophyletic. They are, however, of frequent occurrence, evidently fertile and long lived, and are taxon-like in distribution. While intermediate in many ways, they are habitually most similar to A. gardneri but bear yellow staminate flowers and the fruiting bracteoles are either winged as in A. canescens or the tubercles are aligned in four rows. They tend to occupy similar saline habitats as those occupied by A. gardneri. Despite the origin of the A. aptera material, and regardless of its local abundance, it does not appear to overwhelm either of the parental species. Staminate specimens of A. aptera are difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish from A. gardneri var. gardneri or A. canescens.