''Soda stocksii'' is a shrub species of 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 ...

(formerly classified under the

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

). It is locally known as ''khar'', meaning salty.

Taxonomy

It was first described as a new species by

Pierre Edmond Boissier Pierre Edmond Boissier (25 May 1810 Geneva – 25 September 1885 Valeyres-sous-Rances) was a Swiss prominent botanist, explorer and mathematician. He was the son of Jacques Boissier (1784-1857) and Caroline Butini (1786-1836), daughter of Pierr ...

in the 1859 ''Diagnoses plantarum orientalium novarum''.

Phylogenetic 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 dat ...

analysis in 2007 revealed that the species did not belong to genus '' Haloxylon'' and had to be classified in the genus ''

Salsola ''Salsola'' is a genus of the subfamily Salsoloideae in the family Amaranthaceae. The genus ''sensu stricto'' is distributed in Australia, central and southwestern Asia, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. Common names of various members of this ...

'', however, the

correct name In botany, the correct name according to the ''International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants'' (ICN) is the one and only botanical name that is to be used for a particular taxon, when that taxon has a particular circumscription, p ...

is given as ''Seidlitzia stocksii'' in ''

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

''. It was recombined with, i.e. moved to, the genus ''

Seidlitzia ''Seidlitzia'' was genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Amaranthaceae, now considered a synonym of genus '' Soda''. It is also in the Salsoloideae subfamily. Its native range is from Egypt, Central Asia (within Afghanistan, Iran, Ir ...

'' by Mostafa Assadi in 2001 and then to genus '' Soda'' in 2020. ''Soda stocksii'' belongs to the

subfamily In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zo ...

Salsoloideae The Salsoloideae are a subfamily of the Amaranthaceae, formerly in family Chenopodiaceae. Description These are herbs, subshrubs, shrubs and some trees. Stems and leaves are often succulent. The ovary contains a spiral embryo. In most genera, ...

of the family

Description

''Soda stocksii'' is a sturdy, glabrous or pruinose shrub 25–80 cm tall, its branches are prostrate or ascending. The distinct, sessile, spreading leaves are

terete Terete is a term in botany used to describe a cross section (geometry), cross section that is circular, or like a distorted circle, with a single surface wrapping around it.Lichen Vocabulary, Lichens of North America Information, Sylvia and S ...

, fleshy, to 5 mm long and 1,5 mm in diameter. The opposite branches spread nearly horizontally. The

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

s are wide panicles with 3–12 cm long spike-like branches with numerous flowers.

Perianth The perianth (perigonium, perigon or perigone in monocots) is the non-reproductive part of the flower. It is a structure that forms an envelope surrounding the sexual organs, consisting of the calyx (sepals) and the corolla (petals) or tepal ...

segments are only 1,5 mm long. The 5 stamens are alternating with ovate

staminode In botany, a staminode is an often rudimentary, sterile or abortive stamen, which means that it does not produce pollen.Jackson, Benjamin, Daydon; ''A Glossary of Botanic Terms with their Derivation and Accent''; Published by Gerald Duckworth & Co ...

s. Fruiting, the perianth segments develop spreading brown wings, circa 6 mm in diameter. The seed diameter is 2,5–3 mm.

Pollination and dissemination

''Seidlitzia stocksii'' is pollinated by small wild bees (

Hymenoptera Hymenoptera is a large order of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. Over 150,000 living species of Hymenoptera have been described, in addition to over 2,000 extinct ones. Many of the species are parasitic. Females typi ...

), that were observed to collect

pollen Pollen is a powdery substance produced by most types of flowers of seed plants for the purpose of sexual reproduction. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced Gametophyte#Heterospory, microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm ...

(see photo).Gabriele Kothe-Heinrich: ''Revision der Gattung ''Halothamnus'' (Chenopodiaceae)''. Bibliotheca Botanica Bd. 143, Schweizerbart, Stuttgart 1993, (German), p. 22. The winged fruits are dispersed by the wind (

anemochory In spermatophyte plants, seed dispersal is the movement, spread or transport of seeds away from the parent plant. Plants have limited mobility and rely upon a variety of dispersal vectors to transport their seeds, including both abiotic vectors, ...

Distribution

''Seidlitzia stocksii'' is distributed in Afghanistan, Pakistan and West India (Punjab, Rajasthan), where it grows on sandy or loamy saline soils (

halophyte A halophyte is a salt-tolerant plant that grows in soil or waters of high salinity, coming into contact with saline water through its roots or by salt spray, such as in saline semi-deserts, mangrove swamps, marshes and sloughs, and seashores. ...

) and limestone hills.I.C.Hedge: ''Haloxylon''.- In: Karl Heinz Rechinger et al. (Edit.): ''Flora Iranica Bd. 172, Chenopodiaceae'': p. 315-326. Akad. Druck, Graz 1997, . p. 321.

Uses

''Seidlitzia stocksii'' is used as a source of crude

sodium carbonate Sodium carbonate (also known as washing soda, soda ash, sal soda, and soda crystals) is the inorganic compound with the formula and its various hydrates. All forms are white, odourless, water-soluble salts that yield alkaline solutions in water ...

(barilla or ''sajji-khar''). The ''sajji-khar'' is added as an ingredient for unique taste of ''

papad A papadam (also spelled poppadom, among other variants), also known as papad, is a snack that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Dough of Vigna mungo, black gram bean flour is either Deep frying, deep fried or cooked with dry heat (flipped ...

'', a crispy flatbread. The ash of this plant is used as substitute of soap for cleaning clothes and is also taken with water for treatment of internal

ulcer An ulcer is a discontinuity or break in a bodily membrane that impedes normal function of the affected organ. According to Robbins's pathology, "ulcer is the breach of the continuity of skin, epithelium or mucous membrane caused by sloughin ...

References

* I.C.Hedge: ''Haloxylon''.- In: Karl Heinz Rechinger et al. (Edit.): ''Flora Iranica Bd. 172, Chenopodiaceae'': p. 315-326. Akad. Druck, Graz 1997, . p. 321. (description, distribution) {{Taxonbar, from=Q106909679, from2=Q93444571, from3=Q292441 Amaranthaceae Desert flora Flora of the Thar Desert