Chenopodium nutans

Chenopodium nutans[1] (Syn Einadia nutans, Rhagodia nutans), known by its common name of climbing saltbush or nodding saltbush, is a climbing groundcover native to Australia.

Chenopodium nutans
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Amaranthaceae
Genus: Chenopodium
Species:
C. nutans
Binomial name
Chenopodium nutans
(R.Br.) S.Fuentes & Borsch
Synonyms[1]
  • Einadia nutans (R.Br.) A. J. Scott
  • Rhagodia nutans R.Br.

Plants form a blanket on the surface, climbing over logs and up trees to a height of around 1 metre. Each plant grows to around one metre in diameter. The small leaves are semi-succulent, and have a distinctive arrowhead shape. They grow along long, vine-like branches spreading out form the centre of the plant. Both the leaves and the branches are of a light green colour.[2]

Flowers are inconspicuous green balls, which form on top of terminal spikes during summer. These transform into very conspicuous, tiny, bright-red berries during early autumn.

Human uses

The plant was boiled along with other species of saltbush for use as a greens substitute by early European settlers in the Adelaide region.[3] The plant is easily propagated, making it a particularly attractive and useful plant for revegetation projects. It has recently been enjoying increasing popularity as a garden plant, for its low maintenance, low water usage properties.[4]

References
  1. Susy Fuentes-Bazan, Guilhem Mansion, Thomas Borsch: Towards a species level tree of the globally diverse genus Chenopodium (Chenopodiaceae). In: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. Vol. 62, No. 1, 2012, ISSN 1055-7903, p. 372, DOI:10.1016/j.ympev.2011.10.006
  2. "Plants of the Adelaide plains and hills". Library of South Australia. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  3. "The Native Plants of Adelaide". Department for Environment and Heritage. Archived from the original on 15 March 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  4. "LOCAL PLANTS CONSERVED IN A MUNICIPAL GARDEN" (PDF). Burnside City Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 April 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
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