Giant Four-wing Saltbush
Atriplex canescens var. gigantea
NatureServe conservation status
Global (G-rank): G5T2
State (S-rank): S2
Utah Wildlife Action Plan status
- SGCN
External links
General information
Atriplex canescens var. gigantea is only known from Juab County and Tooele County, Utah where it grows on active sand dunes in the Utah Great Basin. Giant Four-Wing Saltbush has adventitious roots on the stems which gives this species an ability to survive being buried as the dune advances and it is able to continue growth above the encroaching sand. This species is often associated with scurfpea, rice grass and other dune plants where it stands out as a large shrub growing up to 6 feet tall.
Description
Atriplex canescens var. gigantea is only known from Juab County and Tooele County, Utah where it grows on active sand dunes in the Utah Great Basin. Giant Four-Wing Saltbush has adventitious roots on the stems which gives this species an ability to survive being buried as the dune advances and it is able to continue growth above the encroaching sand. This species is often associated with scurfpea, rice grass and other dune plants where it stands out as a large shrub growing up to 6 feet tall.
Phenology
Flowers Summer to Fall
Diagnostic characteristics
Atriplex canescens is divided into two varieties as follows: Atriplex canescens var. gigantea has bracteoles that are mainly 12–25 mm wide, and the plants are have layered growth within the sand dunes only of Utah Great Basin in western central Utah. Atriplex canescens var. canescens has bracteoles that are mainly less than 12 mm wide and the plants are not layered in sand dunes, this variety is widely distributed in Utah and outside of Utah
Species range
A Utah Great Basin endemic, found in Juab and Tooele Counties, Utah.
Threats or limiting factors
Threats include impacts from recreation, increased fires due to invasive cheat grass, and drought. The southernmost occurrences are within the Little Sahara National Recreation Area and surrounding Sheeprock / Tintic ORV Area. The northern most occurrences are on Dugway Proving Grounds US Army lands. Utah Native Plant Society also noted increase in fire due to invasive Bromus species and recreation (Fertig ed. 2016). Numerous fire perimeters have been mapped near the southernmost occurrences in Little Sahara.
Taxonomy
No, this species does not have taxonomic discrepancies