Atriplex stipitata
Atriplex stipitata, commonly known as mallee saltbush, bitter saltbush and kidney saltbush, is a species of shrub in the family Amaranthaceae, found in all mainland states of Australia. In South Australia, it flowers all year round, however in other states generally flowers from spring through to autumn. A. stipitata is not considered a threatened species. Description Atriplex stipitata is an erect, generally dioecious, shrub which grows to in height. Its leaves are elliptic and entire, with the apices either obtuse or rounded. The leaf blade is 7 to 25 mm long on a petiole which is 2 to 3 mm long. Male flowers form disjunct spikes, and the well-spaced clusters of female flowers form slender spikes. Bracteoles surround a superior ovary, on a slender stipe which is up to 1 cm long. A. stipitata generally flowers from spring through to autumn. The common name 'kidney saltbush' is derived from the kidney shape of the fruits. When in season, the distinctive fruits make it easily identified. In 2020, N.G.Walsh & Sluiter described a sub species of A. stipitata. This sub species, miscella, presents as a monoecious plant. This sub species varies to the dioecious form. It is distinguished by having finer stems with narrow leaves. It is an erect and gracile shrub and is not as robust as the dioecious taxa with a shorter lifespan. Miscella grows from with sparser stems, making it a more narrow shrub than the sub species stipitatas which is often wider than it is tall. Taxonomy and naming George Bentham first described A. stipitata in 1870. The specific epithet, stipitata, is a Latin adjective (past participle) meaning "stemmed", that is, "having a stipe or a stem", and refers to the stemmed fruit. There are 2 subspecies of A. stipitata in the Flora of Victoria as listed below Atriplex stipitata subsp. miscella N.G.Walsh & Sluiter Atriplex stipitata subsp. stipitata The epithet, miscella, is a Latin word meaning “mixed”, believed to be referring to the mixed male and female flowers presented together. Distribution and occurrence A. stipitata is widely spread across Australia, found in all mainland states. It is most abundant in semi arid and arid zones of inland parts of South Australia and Western New South Wales. Although A. stipitata has been observed in numerous different habitats, it predominately occurs in the mallee region of Victoria and South Australia and in open wooded areas. Western Australia – subsp. stipitata is commonly found in the south-western region. Subsp. miscella remains rare, with only a single collection. Northern Territory – subsp. miscella is the more common species found in Northern Territory, however both species are present in the southern regions. South Australia – subsp. stipitata can be found in all mainland regions of South Australia except the south-east. Subsp. miscella is currently limited to the Flinders Ranges and Murray Mallee regions. Queensland – subsp. miscella is the more common species in Queensland, however both species are relatively rare in the state, appearing only in the Warrego Pastoral District. New