Atriplex parishii
Parish's brittlescale
Family: Chenopodiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 1B.1
Atriplex parishii (Parish's brittlescale) is a native California herb in the Chenopodiaceae family, recognized by Southern CA, prostrate habit, brittle woolly-tipped stems, opposite leaves.
Parish's brittlescale is a rare (CNPS 1B.1) California native annual found in southern California coastal and peninsular ranges in alkaline or clay soils at elevations below 470 meters. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces white-scaly flowers with distinctive ovate to diamond-shaped bracts. Growing prostrate to decumbent, with stems less than 20 centimeters tall and generally brittle with dense white woolly tips, it spreads low across the ground. Its opposite leaves are small, 3 to 9 millimeters long, with lanceolate to ovate blades that are densely white-scaly and have acute tips. The seeds are approximately 1 to 1.2 millimeters long, with a distinctive reddish-brown coloration.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 24 sympatric species; Southern CA, prostrate habit, brittle woolly-tipped stems, opposite leaves
Habitat and range
Habitat: Alkaline or clay soils
Elevation: < 470 m
California counties: Riverside, Fresno, San Diego, Los Angeles, Madera, Tulare, Glenn, Stanislaus, Kings, Orange, Alameda, Ventura, Yolo
Outside California: Baja California
Bloom period
Atriplex parishii blooms Jun-Oct.
Conservation status
CNPS 1B.1
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 parishii native to California?
Yes. Atriplex parishii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Atriplex parishii bloom?
Atriplex parishii blooms Jun-Oct.
Where in California does Atriplex parishii grow?
Atriplex parishii occurs in Riverside, Fresno, San Diego, Los Angeles, Madera, Tulare, Glenn, Stanislaus and other counties, at elevations of < 470 m.
What plant family does Atriplex parishii belong to?
Atriplex parishii is in the Chenopodiaceae family, genus Atriplex.
Is Atriplex parishii rare or endangered?
Atriplex parishii carries California Rare Plant Rank 1B.1, state rank S1.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
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.