Suaeda maritima
Suaeda
herbaceous sea-blite, herbaceous seepweed, white sea-blite
sea-blite, seepweed
prostrate, decumbent, or erect, usually light brown, simple or branched, sometimes slightly woody at base;
main branches arising from proximal part of plant.
prostrate to erect, simple or branched, not jointed, not armed, not fleshy.
ascending or spreading;
blade linear, usually subterete, sometimes flat, 10–50 × 0.8–1.7 mm, apex blunt to acute.
alternate or opposite, sessile or short-petiolate, fleshy;
blade glaucous or green, linear, lanceolate, oblanceolate, or elliptic, flat or semiterete to terete, base usually narrowed, margins entire, apex blunt or rounded to acute or apiculate.
dichasial cymes, forming glomes (clusters of flowers) of 1–12 flowers, usually arrayed in compound spikes or sometimes racemes; each glome in axis of one leaflike bract, on branchlet fused to one leaflike bract, or bractless, subtended by 1–7 bracteoles;
bracteoles persistent, ovate to lanceolate, 0–1.5 mm, membranous, margins entire or laciniate, sometimes ciliate, apex rounded or acute to acuminate.
bisexual;
perianth actinomorphic to slightly irregular with segments subequal, 2–3.3 mm diam.;
perianth segments thin to abaxially rounded and occasionally distally hooded at maturity, without appendages, apex obtuse;
stigmas 2–3(–5).
all bisexual or bisexual and pistillate intermixed, staminate flowers sometimes present;
perianth actinomorphic, zygomorphic, or irregular;
perianth segments persistent and enclosing fruit, 5, distinct or proximally to almost completely connate, usually succulent, sometimes thin, margins ± scarious;
stamens [1–](2–)5;
anthers exserted (or included);
stigmas 2–5.
utricles, shape variable, determined by seed shape;
pericarp waxy, becoming membranous and ± separable from seeds at maturity.
monomorphic, lenticular, 1–2.2 mm diam.;
seed coat reddish brown or black, reticulate.
horizontal or vertical, sometimes dimorphic, subglobose or lenticular to flattened;
seed coat black, blackish brown, blackish red, or brownish green, smooth or papillate to reticulate;
embryo coiled;
perisperm absent or scant.
on main stem and lateral branches, not crowded into compound, distal spikes, 1–4-flowered;
proximal bracts resembling leaves, distal bracts gradually reduced, 3–12 mm, slightly wider at the base.
= 9.
= 36.
Suaeda maritima
Suaeda
Suaeda maritima is a polymorphic taxon with a worldwide distribution, including native and naturalized populations. Many varieties and subspecies have been described, mostly distinguished by seed size and growth habit (J. Boucaud 1962; I. J. Bassett and C. Crompton 1978). Small, procumbent, mat-forming plants from Newfoundland and Nova Scotia with seeds 1–1.5 mm in diameter have been called subsp. richii, whereas subsp. maritima has seeds 1.5–2 mm in diameter (I. J. Bassett and C. W. Crompton 1978). Seed dimorphism has been reported from populations in Europe (D. Metzing 1996) and may also exist in some North American populations.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Species ca. 110 (12 in the flora).
Plants of Suaeda are found in saline or alkaline wetlands or, occasionally, in upland habitats. Some species are cultivated and eaten as a vegetable; seeds of some have been ground and eaten by Native Americans, and some species are used as a source for red or black dye.
The genus Suaeda includes widely distributed polymorphic species such as S. maritima, S. calceoliformis, and S. nigra. Much of the variation in these taxa appears to be due to environmental factors, but some of it is probably due to genetic differences. Infraspecific taxa and presumed related species have been described, and these are mentioned in the discussions following the descriptions. However, no infraspecific taxa are recognized here. All three of these species show much variation in morphology and growth-form characteristics, but no qualitative characters could be found that could be used to reliably separate distinct taxa below the species level. Future chromosomal and genetic studies may enable the recognition of distinct infraspecific taxa or even species within these three polymorphic entities.
Identification of Suaeda specimens is achieved most successfully when based upon material containing flowers (for ovary shape) and mature calyces (for lobe shape) containing seeds. Because of the succulent nature of most specimens, fresh material may appear quite different than dried material, especially in the accentuation of calyx features when dry.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Key to Sections
1. Glomes on branchlets partially fused to bracts | sect. Schanginia |
1. Glomes axillary to bract or bractless, not on branchlets partially fused to bracts | → 2 |
2. Herbs annual, suffrutescent perennials, or subshrubs, glabrous; perianths irregular or zygomorphic, sometimes appearing ± actinomorphic; perianth segments abaxially ± flat or rounded (convex), sometimes distally hooded, and/or with abaxial appendages (transverse proximal wings, keels, and/or distal horns); stigmas on attenuated apex of ovary, not arising from pit; cross sections of fresh leaves ± uniformly green (best seen at 10× or greater magnification) | sect. Brezia |
2. Shrubs, subshrubs, or sometimes facultative annuals, pubescent or glabrous; perianths actinomorphic; perianth segments abaxially rounded (convex), sometimes distally hooded, but without appendages; stigmas arising from pit at apex of ovary or from pit on distal necklike extension of ovary; cross sections of fresh leaves with dark-green ring of chlorenchyma just inside epidermis (best seen at 10× or greater magnification) | sect. Limbogermen |
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