Shrubs, moundlike, 3–8 dm. Stems decumbent, woody stems dull gray-brown, herbaceous stems pale green or reddish, highly branched, glabrous or sparsely villous with scattered trichomes, leaf scars on woody stems knobby; branches spreading. Leaves ascending, subsessile, ± imbricate; petiole ± 1 mm; blade green, usually not glaucous, ± lanceolate, subcylindric to flattened, 5–35 × 1–2.5 mm, apex acute, glabrous or with scattered marginal trichomes. Glomes distributed throughout plant on branches, 1–5-flowered; branches 2–4 mm diam.; bracts densely imbricate at branch tips, similar in shape and size to leaves. Flowers bisexual or lateral pistillate; perianth 2–3 mm diam.; perianth segments proximally connate, glabrous; ovary without obvious distal necklike extension; stigmas 3. Seeds horizontal or vertical, 1.5–2 mm; seed coat black.
Phenology
jun-aug (summer), sep-nov (fall)
Altitude range
1–10 m;
Distribution
of conservation concernUSA Calif.
Discussion
Suaeda californica is an endangered species with a current distribution only on the margins of Morro Bay in San Luis Obispo County and a re-established colony in San Francisco Bay.
