Atriplex semibaccata, commonly known as Australian saltbush, berry saltbush, or creeping saltbush, is a species of flowering plant in the family

Amaranthaceae Amaranthaceae ( ) is a family of flowering plants commonly known as the amaranth family, in reference to its type genus '' Amaranthus''. It includes the former goosefoot family Chenopodiaceae and contains about 165 genera and 2,040 species, maki ...

and is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to Australia. It is a

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

herb Herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicinal purposes, or for fragrances. Culinary use typically distingu ...

native to Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, but has been introduced into other states and to overseas countries. It flowers and fruits in spring, and propagates from seed when the fruit splits open. This species of

saltbush Saltbush is a vernacular plant name that most often refers to ''Atriplex'', a genus of about 250 plants distributed worldwide from subtropical to subarctic regions. ''Atriplex'' species are native to Australia, North and South America, and Eurasia. ...

is adapted to inconsistent rainfall, temperature and humidity extremes and to poor soil. It is used for rehabilitation, medicine, as a

cover crop In agriculture, cover crops are plants that are planted to ground cover, cover the soil rather than for the purpose of being harvested. Cover crops manage soil erosion, soil fertility, soil quality, water, weeds, Pest (organism), pests, diseases ...

and for

fodder Fodder (), also called provender (), is any agriculture, agricultural foodstuff used specifically to feed domesticated livestock, such as cattle, domestic rabbit, rabbits, sheep, horses, chickens and pigs. "Fodder" refers particularly to food ...

. Its introduction to other countries has had an environmental and economic impact on them.

Description

''Atriplex semibaccata'' is a

taproot A taproot is a large, central, and dominant root from which other roots sprout laterally. Typically a taproot is somewhat straight and very thick, is tapering in shape, and grows directly downward. In some plants, such as the carrot, the taproot ...

herb, that has prostrated and

decumbent This glossary of botanical terms is a list of definitions of terms and concepts relevant to botany and plants in general. Terms of plant morphology are included here as well as at the more specific Glossary of plant morphology and Glossary ...

characteristics. Native to Australia and widespread in all mainland Australian states, ''A. semibaccata'' thrives in harsh and saline conditions. ''A. semibaccata'' is often mat-forming or semi-erect and can grow 40–80 cm tall, spanning a diameter of 1.5-2m. Its slender branches arise from a woody taproot. Leaves are white scruffy,

subsessile In botany, sessility (meaning "sitting", in the sense of "resting on the surface") is a characteristic of plant organs such as flowers or leaves that have no stalk. Plant parts can also be described as subsessile, that is, not completely sessil ...

(small stalk) and are

spatulate The following terms are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (that is, the leaf blade or 'lamina' is undivided) or compound (that is, the leaf blade is divided into two or more leaflets) ...

obovate The following terms are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (that is, the leaf blade or 'lamina' is undivided) or compound (that is, the leaf blade is divided into two or more leaflets) ...

(oblong or elliptic) when the plant is young. Leaves develop a green to grey-green colour, with a length of 5-30mm and a width of 2-9mm, where the base is tapered and tip obtuse. Leaves are thin, oblong-elliptic, obtuse and have short petiolate (1–2 cm). Staminate flowers are tiny, terminal and 1.5mm wide, whereas pistillate flowers cluster distally from leaves. ''A. semibaccata is'' monoecious. Fruiting bracteoles are red or orange when mature, as well as having a convex and rhombic shape (diamond like appearance). Fruits are

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

, united at base, margin toothed, sessile and are a length of 4-6mm.Heuzé V., Thiollet H., Tran G., 2016. Creeping saltbush (Atriplex semibaccata). Feedipedia, a programme by INRA, CIRAD, AFZ and FAO. https://www.feedipedia.org/node/183 ''A. semibaccata'' is seed propagated and seeds are dimorphic. Black seeds are 1.5-1.7mm, while brown seeds are 2mm in size. It can be used as

and is useful for degraded or salt affected land. Optimal conditions for habitat, include dry/subtropical climate and direct sunlight. ''A. semibaccata'' has an all-year season of interest and a

plant hardiness Hardiness of plants describes their ability to survive adverse growing conditions. It is usually limited to discussions of climatic adversity. Thus a plant's ability to tolerate cold, heat, drought, flooding, or wind are typically considered measu ...

zone of 4. ''A. semibaccata'' requires light hydration in soil that is either

clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolinite, ). Most pure clay minerals are white or light-coloured, but natural clays show a variety of colours from impuriti ...

loam Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand (particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–si ...

peat Peat is an accumulation of partially Decomposition, decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, Moorland, moors, or muskegs. ''Sphagnum'' moss, also called peat moss, is one of the most ...

sand Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is usually defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural ...

or silt as well as a

soil pH Soil pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity (alkalinity) of a soil. Soil pH is a key characteristic that can be used to make informative analysis both qualitative and quantitatively regarding soil characteristics. pH is defined as the neg ...

that is

neutral Neutral or neutrality may refer to: Mathematics and natural science Biology * Neutral organisms, in ecology, those that obey the unified neutral theory of biodiversity Chemistry and physics * Neutralization (chemistry), a chemical reaction in ...

Taxonomy and naming

''Atriplex semibaccata'' was first formally described in 1810 by

Robert Brown Robert Brown may refer to: Robert Brown (born 1965), British Director, Animator and author Entertainers and artists * Washboard Sam or Robert Brown (1910–1966), American musician and singer * Robert W. Brown (1917–2009), American printmaker ...

in his ''

Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen ''Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen'' (Prodromus of the Flora of New Holland and Van Diemen's Land) is a book by the botanist Robert Brown Robert Brown may refer to: Robert Brown (born 1965), British Director, Animator and ...

''. The species is classified in the

family and Chenopodiaceae subfamily, along with other halophytic plants (salt-tolerant) species. ''A. semibaccata'' has several reported varieties such as var. ''melanocarpa'', var. ''biformis,'' var. ''microcarpa'' var. '' gracilis'' and var. ''appendiculata''. These variations include the morphological differences within this species. Australia's

native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

range is centred on bracteoles, which are the succulent fruits of ''A. semibaccata.'' There are two forms of ''A. semibaccata'' in Australia. In

Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...

and southern arid areas are home to rhomboid and succulent bracteoles, whereas slim dry and deltoid shaped bracteoles are found in

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

and

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

. ''A. semibaccata'' hybridises with Atriplex spinibractea, where both species subside in New South Wales. This formed the variant, known as A. neurivalvis in

northern Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating ...

Queensland, where succulence is not apparent in its bracteoles.

Genetic variability Genetic variability is either the presence of, or the generation of, genetic differences. It is defined as "the formation of individuals differing in genotype, or the presence of genotypically different individuals, in contrast to environmentally ...

analysis with the use of

molecular marker In molecular biology and other fields, a molecular marker is a molecule, sampled from some source, that gives information about its source. For example, DNA is a molecular marker that gives information about the organism from which it was taken. ...

s has investigated ''A. semibaccata'' and other species of the genus ''Atriplex''.

Phylogenetic analysis In biology, phylogenetics () is the study of the evolutionary history of life using observable characteristics of organisms (or genes), which is known as phylogenetic inference. It infers the relationship among organisms based on empirical data ...

has confirmed a deviation from all other tested species ('' A. halimus, A. amnicola'', '' A. lentiformis'', '' A. canescens,'' ''A. undulata'' and '' A. nummularia''). ''A. semibaccata'' is distinguished as one of two major groups that are least similar to the other species. The common names for ''A. semibaccata'' include the ''Australia saltbush.'' It is also commonly called ''Australian saltweed, creeping

'' and ''berry saltbush''. This is one of many ''Atriplex'' species native to Australia and is referenced widely in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

. The genus name Atriplex has

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

origins from the ‘''atriplexum''’, which has been derived from the

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

word ‘''astraphaxes''’, which translates to "''saltbush''" or "''orach''". The species

epithet An epithet (, ), also a byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) commonly accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a real or fictitious person, place, or thing. It is usually literally descriptive, as in Alfred the Great, Suleima ...

‘''semibaccata''’ is derived from the Latin word ‘''semi''’ which translates to "half", while ‘''baccata''’ means "bearing berries".

Distribution and habitat

This species of saltbush is

to Australia and is native to Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, but has become

naturalised Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-national of a country acquires the nationality of that country after birth. The definition of naturalization by the International Organization for Migration of the ...

in the Australian Capital Territory, on

Norfolk Island Norfolk Island ( , ; ) is an States and territories of Australia, external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head, New South Wales, Evans Head and a ...

and possibly Tasmania. It has also been introduced to North and South America, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East, Arabian Peninsula, Asia, and the Mediterranean region. A. ''semibaccata'' was introduced to different regions worldwide as a

drought A drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D. Jiang, A. Khan, W. Pokam Mba, D. Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, ...

and salt tolerant fodder crop. Similarly, A. ''semibaccata'' was introduced in

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

for grazing purposes. Located in heavy

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, water, and organisms that together support the life of plants and soil organisms. Some scientific definitions distinguish dirt from ''soil'' by re ...

that is slightly saline, in woodland that is close to

salt lake A salt lake or saline lake is a landlocked body of water that has a concentration of salts (typically sodium chloride) and other dissolved minerals significantly higher than most lakes (often defined as at least three grams of salt per liter). I ...

s, and is usually an

invader ''InVader'' is the fourth album by Finnish glam metal band Reckless Love Reckless Love is a Finnish rock band formed in Kuopio in 2001. They released their debut album in 2010, which reached number 13 in the Finnish charts. In 2011, they rele ...

of disturbed areas. First reported distribution was in California in 1901 as a

livestock Livestock are the Domestication, domesticated animals that are raised in an Agriculture, agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, Egg as food, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The t ...

forage Forage is a plant material (mainly plant leaves and stems) eaten by grazing livestock. Historically, the term ''forage'' has meant only plants eaten by the animals directly as pasture, crop residue, or immature cereal crops, but it is also used m ...

alkali In chemistry, an alkali (; from the Arabic word , ) is a basic salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. An alkali can also be defined as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7.0. The a ...

ne regions. Seeds were soon after distributed (1916) and by 1940, A. ''semibaccata'' inhabited southern coast regions and irregularly inland. Optimal conditions for

habitat In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...

, include dry/

subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Ge ...

climate and direct sunlight.

Ecology

Reproductive biology

''A. semibaccata'' reproduces by seed propagation. This appears when the fruiting bracteoles split when ripe and dry, exposing an individual seed. The seed is with ascending radicle. ''A. semibaccata'' is self-compatible and wind pollinated''.'' Male flowers occur as small glomerules in distal axils, while female flowers appear in scattered axillary clusters.

Seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

persistence in soil and

germination Germination is the process by which an organism grows from a seed or spore. The term is applied to the sprouting of a seedling from a seed of an angiosperm or gymnosperm, the growth of a sporeling from a spore, such as the spores of fungi, ...

conditions are unknown. ''A. semibaccata'' does not obtain

dormancy Dormancy is a period in an organism's Biological life cycle, life cycle when growth, development, and (in animals) physical activity are temporarily stopped. This minimizes metabolism, metabolic activity and therefore helps an organism to conserv ...

when germination rates are high. In Australia, ''A. semibaccata'' flowers and fruits in

spring Spring(s) may refer to: Common uses * Spring (season), a season of the year * Spring (device), a mechanical device that stores energy * Spring (hydrology), a natural source of water * Spring (mathematics), a geometric surface in the shape of a he ...

and

summer Summer or summertime is the hottest and brightest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, daylight hours are the longest and darkness hours are the shortest, with day ...

, however flowering is prolonged in Western Australia. ''A. semibaccata'' in the

northern hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined by humans as being in the same celestial sphere, celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the Solar ...

(

USA The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

) typically flowers in spring (March–May), summer (June–August) and early

winter Winter is the coldest and darkest season of the year in temperate and polar climates. It occurs after autumn and before spring. The tilt of Earth's axis causes seasons; winter occurs when a hemisphere is oriented away from the Sun. Dif ...

(December–February).

Physiology and phenology

The development of C₄

photosynthesis Photosynthesis ( ) is a system of biological processes by which photosynthetic organisms, such as most plants, algae, and cyanobacteria, convert light energy, typically from sunlight, into the chemical energy necessary to fuel their metabo ...

has played a role in the evolutionary success of the Atriplex genus. Various C₄ Chenopodiaceae plants differ from the Kranz anatomy of Atriplex, which includes a layer of bundle sheath cells surrounding the

vascular bundle A vascular bundle is a part of the transport system in vascular plants. The transport itself happens in the stem, which exists in two forms: xylem and phloem. Both these tissues are present in a vascular bundle, which in addition will incl ...

, as well as radially arranged palisade cells, with little variation in C₄ leaf types. Depending on the immediate environmental conditions, ''A. semibaccata'' demonstrates the ability to adapt. This relates to environmental conditions such as

air temperature Atmospheric temperature is a measure of temperature at different levels of the Earth's atmosphere. It is governed by many factors, including incoming solar radiation, humidity, and altitude. The abbreviation MAAT is often used for Mean Annual Air ...

soil moisture Soil moisture is the water content of the soil. It can be expressed in terms of volume or weight. Soil moisture measurement can be based on ''in situ'' probes (e.g., capacitance probes, neutron probes) or remote sensing methods. Water that enters ...

salinity Salinity () is the saltiness or amount of salt (chemistry), salt dissolved in a body of water, called saline water (see also soil salinity). It is usually measured in g/L or g/kg (grams of salt per liter/kilogram of water; the latter is dimensio ...

and

evaporation Evaporation is a type of vaporization that occurs on the Interface (chemistry), surface of a liquid as it changes into the gas phase. A high concentration of the evaporating substance in the surrounding gas significantly slows down evapora ...

. Greater exposure to a saline environment, induces a salt stress response which displays a decrease number of

chloroplast A chloroplast () is a type of membrane-bound organelle, organelle known as a plastid that conducts photosynthesis mostly in plant cell, plant and algae, algal cells. Chloroplasts have a high concentration of chlorophyll pigments which captur ...

s in chlorenchyma and bundle sheath cells, as well as a decreased root diameter, leaf size, leaf stromal conductance and the net leaf photosynthetic rate. Higher saline exposure increases intracellular CO₂ concentration and the number of stomata per unit leaf area. During winter, ''A. semibaccata'' becomes dormant, whereas other ''Atriplex'' species maintain function. Low and inconsistent

rain Rain is a form of precipitation where water drop (liquid), droplets that have condensation, condensed from Water vapor#In Earth's atmosphere, atmospheric water vapor fall under gravity. Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is res ...

fall, varying temperatures,

humidity Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation (meteorology), precipitation, dew, or fog t ...

and poor soil are contributing factors that involve ''A. semibaccata'' to adapt.

Cultivation

Environmental requirements

''A. semibaccata'' is native to Australia, however it is not located in

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

and

humid Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation, dew, or fog to be present. Humidity depe ...

regions such as

Northern Queensland North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the Australian state of Queensland that lies just south of Far North Queensland. Queensland is a massive state, larger than many countries, and its tropical northern part has bee ...

. It is a

tolerant species of

arid and

semi-arid A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a aridity, dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below Evapotranspiration#Potential evapotranspiration, potential evapotranspiration, but not as l ...

regions. A region with a mean annual rainfall of 250-900mm is optimal for ''A. semibaccata''. It is a low spreading and deep-rooted

sub-shrub A subshrub (Latin ''suffrutex'') or undershrub is either a small shrub (e.g. prostrate shrubs) or a perennial that is largely herbaceous but slightly woody at the base (e.g. garden pink and florist's chrysanthemum). The term is often intercha ...

that does not require much

. Sun exposed regions are an optimal condition for growth. ''A. semibaccata'' is winter tolerant and can survive a minimum air

temperature Temperature is a physical quantity that quantitatively expresses the attribute of hotness or coldness. Temperature is measurement, measured with a thermometer. It reflects the average kinetic energy of the vibrating and colliding atoms making ...

of -5 °C. ''A. semibaccata'' is salt-laden wind tolerant and has been indicated as an environmental advantage against plants that are distributed along

coastal region A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...

s. Additionally,

saline soil Soil salinity is the salt content in the soil; the process of increasing the salt content is known as salinization (also called salination in American English). Salts occur naturally within soils and water. Salinization can be caused by natural ...

allows for rapid and more profuse seed

. This is a competitive advantage, against

native species In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often popularised as "with no human intervention") during history. The term is equi ...

worldwide. ''A.'' ''semibaccata'' has a high degree of salt tolerance (9-16 dS/m) and grows in soil that is exposed to light and is acidic. ''A. semibaccata'' grows in various soil types, including clay loams, sandy loams and waterlogged environments.

Movement and dispersal

Natural dispersion of ''A. semibaccata'' are over short distances as seeds are found under remnant and understorey plants. Animal dispersion expands the distance covered of ''A. semibaccata''. The red fruiting

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves in size, color, shape or texture. They also lo ...

eoles of ''A. semibaccata'' are

and are attractive to

herbivore A herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically evolved to feed on plants, especially upon vascular tissues such as foliage, fruits or seeds, as the main component of its diet. These more broadly also encompass animals that eat ...

species. Species that eat the fruiting bracteoles are responsible for animal dispersion and spread the seed of A. semibaccata. ''A. semibaccata'' seeds have been found in the

digestive tract The gastrointestinal tract (GI tract, digestive tract, alimentary canal) is the tract or passageway of the Digestion, digestive system that leads from the mouth to the anus. The tract is the largest of the body's systems, after the cardiovascula ...

reptile Reptiles, as commonly defined, are a group of tetrapods with an ectothermic metabolism and Amniotic egg, amniotic development. Living traditional reptiles comprise four Order (biology), orders: Testudines, Crocodilia, Squamata, and Rhynchocepha ...

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...

s and

fox Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...

es in

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. Accidental introduction of ''A. semibaccata'' is a result of relocating

hay Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticate ...

and other fodder crops. ''A. semibaccata'' was introduced internationally to various countries, to acquire the drought and saline resistant properties that allow for use as a

and

ground cover Groundcover or ground cover is any plant that grows low over an area of ground, which protects the topsoil from erosion and drought. In a terrestrial ecosystem, the ground cover forms the layer of vegetation below the shrub layer known as the ...

. ''A. semibaccata'' is intentionally dispersed for its uses.

Uses

Cover crop

In its native range of Australia, ''A. semibaccata'' is used in

agroforestry Agroforestry (also known as agro-sylviculture or forest farming) is a land use management system that integrates trees with crops or pasture. It combines agricultural and forestry technologies. As a polyculture system, an agroforestry system c ...

to improve the performance and

profitability In economics, profit is the difference between revenue that an economic entity has received from its outputs and total costs of its inputs, also known as surplus value. It is equal to total revenue minus total cost, including both Explicit co ...

vineyard A vineyard ( , ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines. Many vineyards exist for winemaking; others for the production of raisins, table grapes, and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production is kno ...

s. ''A. semibaccata'' has been introduced to regions with reduced water availability due to drought and increased temperatures, as a sustainable

that deters potential pest species. Native

cover crops such as ''A. semibaccata'' can increase the abundance of

symbiotic Symbiosis (Ancient Greek : living with, companionship < : together; and ''bíōsis'': living) is any type of a close and long-term biolo ...

invertebrate Invertebrates are animals that neither develop nor retain a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''spine'' or ''backbone''), which evolved from the notochord. It is a paraphyletic grouping including all animals excluding the chordata, chordate s ...

s that can improve

pest control Pest control is the regulation or management of a species defined as a pest (organism), pest; such as any animal, plant or fungus that impacts adversely on human activities or environment. The human response depends on the importance of the da ...

and limit the need of synthetic pest controls.

Rehabilitation

''A. semibaccata'' has been used for regenerative purposes, where it has been planted to restore mine spoils. ''A. semibaccata'' is adaptive to the saline and drought conditions of

mining waste In mining, tailings or tails are the materials left over after the process of separating the valuable fraction from the uneconomic fraction (gangue) of an ore. Tailings are different from overburden, which is the waste rock or other material th ...

and exhibits germination among these regions. ''A. semibaccata'' has also been used for

landscaping Landscaping refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land, including the following: # Living elements, such as flora or fauna; or what is commonly called gardening, the art and craft of growing plants with a goal ...

purposes and as ground cover to control soil and

erosion Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as Surface runoff, water flow or wind) that removes soil, Rock (geology), rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust#Crust, Earth's crust and then sediment transport, tran ...

. ''A. semibaccata'' is an effective

weed control Weed control is a type of pest control, which attempts to stop or reduce growth of weeds, especially noxious weeds, with the aim of reducing their competition with desired flora and fauna including domesticated plants and livestock, and in natu ...

in verges,

roundabout A roundabout, a rotary and a traffic circle are types of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junct ...

s and nature strips. Additional uses of ''A. semibaccata'' includes

land reclamation Land reclamation, often known as reclamation, and also known as land fill (not to be confused with a waste landfill), is the process of creating new Terrestrial ecoregion, land from oceans, list of seas, seas, Stream bed, riverbeds or lake ...

without the need for saline water

irrigation systems Irrigation (also referred to as watering of plants) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has be ...

and restoring bare patches of ground.

Fodder/ Animal feed

''A. semibaccata'' is used as saltland

pasture Pasture (from the Latin ''pastus'', past participle of ''pascere'', "to feed") is land used for grazing. Types of pasture Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, c ...

and produces

for grazing animals when sources of paddock feed are limited. This can improve production from saltland sites, reduce salt movement and stabilise

soil structure In geotechnical engineering, soil structure describes the arrangement of the solid parts of the soil and of the Pore space in soil, pore space located between them. It is determined by how individual soil granules clump, bind together, and Soil a ...

. ''A. semibaccata'' is a readily grazed ''Atriplex''

, which provides a more diverse diet and primary fodder/ animal feed. The high salt content in

foliage A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, f ...

reduces the use of ''A. semibaccata'' as a food source if availability of drinking water for

is not adequate. ''A. semibaccata'' is palatable when young, contains a low energy value and is a source of

crude protein Proteins are essential nutrients for the human body. They are one of the constituents of body tissue and also serve as a fuel source. As fuel, proteins have the same energy density as carbohydrates: 17 kJ (4 kcal) per gram. The defining cha ...

. Additional

food supplement A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement a person's diet by taking a pill, capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid. A supplement can provide nutrients either extracted from food sources, or that are synthetic ( ...

s and adequate drinking water are necessary for livestock.

Medicinal

''A. semibaccata''

essential oil An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the ...

s contain compounds with

antibacterial An antibiotic is a type of antimicrobial substance active against bacteria. It is the most important type of antibacterial agent for fighting bacterial infections, and antibiotic medications are widely used in the treatment and prevention ...

and

antioxidant Antioxidants are Chemical compound, compounds that inhibit Redox, oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce Radical (chemistry), free radicals. Autoxidation leads to degradation of organic compounds, including living matter. Antioxidants ...

properties. The essential oils of ''A. semibaccata'' are moderately

synergistic Synergy is an interaction or cooperation giving rise to a whole that is greater than the simple sum of its parts (i.e., a non-linear addition of force, energy, or effect). The term ''synergy'' comes from the Attic Greek word συνεργία ' f ...

with

gentamicin Gentamicin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic used to treat several types of bacterial infections. This may include bone infections, endocarditis, pelvic inflammatory disease, meningitis, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and sepsis amo ...

, which is an antibiotic that is used to treat several

bacterial infections Pathogenic bacteria are bacteria that can cause disease. This article focuses on the bacteria that are pathogenic to humans. Most species of bacteria are harmless and many are beneficial but others can cause infectious diseases. The number of t ...

. ''A. semibaccata'' is suitable for

revegetation Revegetation is the process of replanting and rebuilding the soil of disturbed land. This may be a natural process produced by plant colonization and succession, manmade rewilding projects, accelerated process designed to repair damage to a la ...

marginal land Marginal land is land that is of little agricultural or developmental value because crops produced from the area would be worth less than any rent paid for access to the area. Although the term ''marginal (disambiguation)#Economics, marginal'' is o ...

s, with the use of its

biomass Biomass is a term used in several contexts: in the context of ecology it means living organisms, and in the context of bioenergy it means matter from recently living (but now dead) organisms. In the latter context, there are variations in how ...

as an essential oil for the control of microbial infections. Additionally,

alcohol Alcohol may refer to: Common uses * Alcohol (chemistry), a class of compounds * Ethanol, one of several alcohols, commonly known as alcohol in everyday life ** Alcohol (drug), intoxicant found in alcoholic beverages ** Alcoholic beverage, an alco ...

extracts from ''A. semibaccata'', such as

scopoletin Scopoletin is a coumarin found in the root of plants in the genus '' Scopolia'' such as ''Scopolia carniolica'' and '' Scopolia japonica'', in chicory, in '' Artemisia scoparia'', in the roots and leaves of stinging nettle (''Urtica dioica''), in t ...

coumarin Coumarin () or 2''H''-chromen-2-one is an aromatic organic chemical compound with formula . Its molecule can be described as a benzene molecule with two adjacent hydrogen atoms replaced by an unsaturated lactone ring , forming a second six-me ...

scopolin Scopolin is a glucoside of scopoletin formed by the action of the enzyme scopoletin glucosyltransferase. It occurs in Chamaemelum nobile ''Chamaemelum nobile'', commonly known as chamomile (also spelled camomile), is a low perennial plant fo ...

, umbelliferorne, 7-methoxy coumarin,

phenolic acid Phenolic acids or phenolcarboxylic acids ? are phenolic compounds and types of aromatic acid compounds. Included in that class are substances containing a phenolic ring and an organic carboxylic acid function (C6-C1 skeleton). Two important nat ...

and

P-coumaric acid ''p''-Coumaric acid is an organic compound with the formula HOC6H4CH=CHCO2H. It is one of the three isomers of coumaric acid. It is a white solid that is only slightly soluble in water but very soluble in ethanol and diethyl ether. Natural occur ...

has antibacterial activity. Isolated compounds from ''A. semibaccata'', such as compounds

tyramine Tyramine ( ) (also spelled tyramin), also known under several other names, is a naturally occurring trace amine derived from the amino acid tyrosine. Tyramine acts as a catecholamine releasing agent. Notably, it is unable to cross the bl ...

and lignanamide exhibit

cytotoxic Cytotoxicity is the quality of being toxic to cells. Examples of toxic agents are toxic metals, toxic chemicals, microbe neurotoxins, radiation particles and even specific neurotransmitters when the system is out of balance. Also some types of dr ...

activity against the proliferation of

leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia; pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and produce high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or '' ...

lymphoblast __NOTOC__ A lymphoblast is a modified naive lymphocyte with altered cell morphology. It occurs when the lymphocyte is activated by an antigen and increased in volume by nucleus and cytoplasm growth as well as new mRNA and protein synthesis. The ly ...

s (CCRF-CEM) cells.

Environmental impact

''A. semibaccata'' is grown and dispersed over short distances. This creates a dense

fire-retardant A fire retardant is a substance that is used to slow down or stop the spread of fire or reduce its intensity. This is commonly accomplished by chemical reactions that reduce the flammability of fuels or delay their combustion. Fire retardants m ...

that displaces

plant species. ''A. semibaccata'' is identified as an invasive species by the

US Fish and Wildlife service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is a U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior which oversees the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats in the United States. ...

and is known to affect

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...

such as Panicum niihauense (critically endangered), Verbesina dissita and Sesbania tomentosa. Scaevola coriacea and Sesbania tomentosa are native and endangered grass species of

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...

. Scaevola coriacea is found in three naturally occurring populations and Sesbania tomentosa is located on the island of

Molokai Molokai or Molokai ( or ; Molokaʻi dialect: Morotaʻi ) is the fifth most populated of the eight major islands that make up the Hawaiian Islands archipelago in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. It is 38 by 10 miles (61 by 16 km) at its g ...

. In California, USA, ''A. semibaccata'' competes with native plants such as Verbesina dissita for space, shade, water and light. ''A. semibaccata'' creates an ecological shift that is caused by competition for resources, shading, ecosystem change and habitat alteration. ''A. semibaccata'' enhances

biodiversity Biodiversity is the variability of life, life on Earth. It can be measured on various levels. There is for example genetic variability, species diversity, ecosystem diversity and Phylogenetics, phylogenetic diversity. Diversity is not distribut ...

through

biological control Biological control or biocontrol is a method of controlling pests, whether pest animals such as insects and mites, weeds, or pathogens affecting animals or plants by using other organisms. It relies on predation, parasitism, herbivory, or o ...

Agroecosystem Agroecosystems are the ecosystems supporting the food production systems in farms and gardens. As the name implies, at the core of an agroecosystem lies the human activity of agriculture. As such they are the basic unit of study in Agroecology, and ...

s that involve ''A. semibaccata'' increase the abundance of

s that assist in

as well as an increased range of

predators Predation is a biological interaction in which one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill ...

and

parasitoid In evolutionary ecology, a parasitoid is an organism that lives in close association with its host (biology), host at the host's expense, eventually resulting in the death of the host. Parasitoidism is one of six major evolutionarily stable str ...

s. ''A. semibaccata'' acts as a

that provides shelter for various invertebrates, this increases biodiversity and bioactivity. This provides the environment for natural breakdown of

organic material Organic matter, organic material or natural organic matter is the large source of carbon-based compounds found within natural and engineered, terrestrial, and aquatic environments. It is matter composed of organic compounds that have come fro ...

, aeration and

nutrient cycling A nutrient cycle (or ecological recycling) is the movement and exchange of inorganic and organic matter back into the production of matter. Energy flow is a unidirectional and noncyclic pathway, whereas the movement of mineral nutrients is cyc ...

that keeps ''A. semibaccata'' and surrounding vegetation healthy. Additionally, this abundant soil diversity supports pest predators that prevent harmful organisms from over populating. This prevents the destruction of crops. ''A. semibaccata'' improves the quality and structure of soil, suppresses

weed A weed is a plant considered undesirable in a particular situation, growing where it conflicts with human preferences, needs, or goals.Harlan, J. R., & deWet, J. M. (1965). Some thoughts about weeds. ''Economic botany'', ''19''(1), 16-24. Pla ...

s and contributes to pest management. File:Starr 031007-2051 Atriplex semibaccata.jpg, Invasive growth in Kahoolawe,

File:Atriplex semibaccata by Scott Zona - 003.jpg, Invasive growth in the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; ) or Canaries are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, Autonomous Community of Spain. They are located in the northwest of Africa, with the closest point to the cont ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

File:Starr 081230-0706 Atriplex semibaccata.jpg, Invasive growth of in Kahoolawe,

Economic impact

The economic impact of ''A. semibaccata'' is positive in regions where it is not invasive. Benefits that have a positive economic effect include its value in rehabilitation,

medicinal Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

properties as well as food and cover cropper. The negative economic impact is generated by its

invasiveness Minimally invasive procedures (also known as minimally invasive surgeries) encompass Surgery, surgical techniques that limit the size of incisions needed, thereby reducing wound healing time, associated pain, and risk of infection. Surgery by d ...

that endangers

, causes a change in ecological and alters the surrounding

. This requires physical and chemical control processes that can be laborious and require economic expenditure. Control chemicals for ''A. semibaccata'' involve

herbicide Herbicides (, ), also commonly known as weed killers, are substances used to control undesired plants, also known as weeds.EPA. February 201Pesticides Industry. Sales and Usage 2006 and 2007: Market Estimates. Summary in press releasMain page f ...

s, such as

dicamba Dicamba (3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid) is a selective systemic herbicide first registered in 1967. Brand names for formulations of this herbicide include Dianat, Banvel, Diablo, Oracle and Vanquish. This chemical compound is a chlorinat ...

, dicamba/MCPA amine,

2,4-D 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid is an organic compound with the chemical formula . It is usually referred to by its ISO common name 2,4-D. It is a systemic herbicide that kills most broadleaf weeds by causing uncontrolled growth, but most gra ...

and

picloram Picloram is a systemic herbicide used for general woody plant control. It also controls a wide range of broad-leaved weeds, but most grasses are resistant.

. To physically remove ''A. semibaccata'', hand pulling is an effective method due to its small size. To physically control ''A. semibaccata'', it must be uprooted prior to seed production. Site revision is required to remove plants arising from residual seed pools.

References

External links

FAO:''Atriplex semibaccata''USDA Plants Profile: ''Atriplex semibaccata'' NSW Flora Online: ''Atriplex semibaccata''Online Field Guide to Common Saltmarsh Plants of Queensland
{{Authority control semibaccata Caryophyllales of Australia Flora of New South Wales Flora of the Northern Territory Flora of South Australia Flora of Victoria (state) Eudicots of Western Australia Taxa named by Robert Brown (botanist, born 1773) Forages Edible fruits