Sarcocornia utahensis
Encyclopedia
Sarcocornia utahensis is a species of flowering plant in the amaranth family
known by the common name Utah swampfire. It is native to the southwestern United States, where it can be found in desert habitat, generally in areas with alkaline
or saline soils, such as playas
. This halophytic
perennial herb or subshrub
grows in low matted clumps of woody stem bases anchored to the substrate by rhizome
systems. The stem grows erect into fleshy green branches. The inflorescence
s are within the distal parts of the branches, which are ringed with tiny flat flowers.
Amaranthaceae
The flowering plant family Amaranthaceae, the Amaranth family, contains about 176 genera and 2,400 species.- Description :Most of these species are herbs or subshrubs; very few are trees or climbers. Some species are succulent....
known by the common name Utah swampfire. It is native to the southwestern United States, where it can be found in desert habitat, generally in areas with alkaline
Alkali soils
Alkali, or alkaline, soils are clay soils with high pH , a poor soil structure and a low infiltration capacity. Often they have a hard calcareous layer at 0.5 to 1 metre depth. Alkali soils owe their unfavorable physico-chemical properties mainly to the dominating presence of sodium carbonate...
or saline soils, such as playas
Dry lake
Dry lakes are ephemeral lakebeds, or a remnant of an endorheic lake. Such flats consist of fine-grained sediments infused with alkali salts. Dry lakes are also referred to as alkali flats, sabkhas, playas or mud flats...
. This halophytic
Halophyte
A halophyte is a plant that grows where it is affected by salinity in the root area or by salt spray, such as in saline semi-deserts, mangrove swamps, marshes and sloughs, and seashores. An example of a halophyte is the salt marsh grass Spartina alterniflora . Relatively few plant species are...
perennial herb or subshrub
Shrub
A shrub or bush is distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and shorter height, usually under 5–6 m tall. A large number of plants may become either shrubs or trees, depending on the growing conditions they experience...
grows in low matted clumps of woody stem bases anchored to the substrate by rhizome
Rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
systems. The stem grows erect into fleshy green branches. The inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
s are within the distal parts of the branches, which are ringed with tiny flat flowers.