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Orache
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| Orache photos | Family: Saltbush (Chenopodiaceae) |
| Scientific Name: | Atriplex prostrata syn. (Atriplex hastata) |  Plant of Orache Photo: A J Brown | |||||
Other Common Name: | Hastate Orache | ||||||
Status: | Native to Eurpoe, Asia and North America. Naturalised to all Australian southern States. | ||||||
Plant Description: | Prostrate to ascending annual herb to 50 cm high. The hairless and stalked leaves are sometimes mealy (powdery) underneath. The older leaves are triangular, arrow-shaped or hastate (see photo) in shape, 1.5-7 cm long and 1-6 cm wide and with or without marginal teeth. Younger or upper leaves are triangular to ovate. Male and female flowers are separate but on the same plant and in the same clusters. Fruit are covered by a pair of bracteoles which are triangular or ovate and 3-6 mm long. | ||||||
Habitat: | Common in seasonally or permanently wet sites, often fringing saltmarsh vegetation and on saline soils. In older flora treatments, the name Atriplex prostrata was applied to Mat Saltbush, a rare Mallee plant, which is now called Atriplex pumilio.
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Comments: | This species can be mistaken for the Australian species, Native Orache (Atriplex australascia), but differs mainly in the shape of its leaves. Native Orache normally has older leaves that taper toward the base and upper leaves that are commonly linear, rather than triangular or ovate. |
 Branched stems of Orache Photo: A J Brown |  Leaves of Orache Photo: A J Brown |
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