Atriplex lindleyi
Lindley's saltbush
(c) Millie Basden, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Millie Basden · licence
Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: Subshrub · Not Native
Atriplex lindleyi (Lindley's saltbush) is a non-native California subshrub in the Chenopodiaceae family, recognized by limited to far southern CA, brittle branches, large spongy cone-shaped bracts.
Lindley's saltbush is a naturalized perennial herb found in southern coastal California in open, disturbed places at elevations below 40 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces green to white-scaled leaves with small, inconspicuous flowers. Growing with decumbent to erect branches 10 to 40 centimeters tall, it has brittle stems that become glabrous with age. Its leaves are oblanceolate to diamond-shaped, 8 to 30 millimeters long, with entire to coarsely wavy-toothed edges and a tapered base. The plant produces two distinct types of seeds, approximately 1 to 1.5 millimeters long, ranging in color from black to red-brown.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 23 sympatric species; limited to far southern CA, brittle branches, large spongy cone-shaped bracts
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, disturbed places, fields
Elevation: < 40 m
Outside California: native to Australia
Bloom period
Atriplex lindleyi blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Artemisia: Atriplex leaves have bead-like scales; Artemisia leaves are finely divided and aromatic when crushed.; vs Ambrosia: Atriplex has simple scaly leaves; Ambrosia has deeply lobed or divided leaves with coarse hairs.; vs Extriplex: Atriplex has 3-5 calyx lobes on male flowers and two seed colors; Extriplex has exactly 4 lobes and uniform dark seeds.; vs Chenopodium: Atriplex has bead-like bladder hairs and paired fruit bracts; Chenopodium has mealy powder and calyx-enclosed fruits.; vs Eriogonum: Atriplex has scaly leaves and paired fruit bracts; Eriogonum has smooth leaves and papery flower tubes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Atriplex lindleyi native to California?
No. Atriplex lindleyi is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Atriplex lindleyi bloom?
Atriplex lindleyi blooms Mar-May.
What plant family does Atriplex lindleyi belong to?
Atriplex lindleyi is in the Chenopodiaceae family, genus Atriplex.
What habitat does Atriplex lindleyi grow in?
Atriplex lindleyi grows in Open, disturbed places, fields.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.