Atriplex Atriplex, L.

17. A. hastata L. , Sp. Pl. 1053 (1753).

Erect or procumbent, up to 100 cm, usually green. Lower leaves hastate, the base subcordate. Bracteoles not more than 5 mm, triangular-rhombic to elliptic-rhombic, dentate. Seeds nearly all small. 2« = 18. Ruderal, usually near the coast. Throughout Europe northwards to c. 11 ° N. in Norway. All except Cr Fa Is Sb.

Very variable; one of the more distinct variants is subsp. polonicum (Zapal.) Aellen , Feddes Repert. 69: 144 (1964) from S.E. Poland, E. Czechoslovakia and W. Ukraine. It has the lower leaves almost sagittate-hastate, deeply sinuate-dentate; bracteoles rhombic with acute appendages on the back.

Another distinct variant, from maritime habitats in England, and probably elsewhere in W. Europe, is usually red or purple, has the lower leaves truncate at base, bracteoles up to 5-10 mm, thin, distinctly reticulate-veined, and numerous large seeds.