Atriplex patula L. SPREADING ORACHE, FAT-HEN SALTBUSH, SPEARSCALE. N.Y.: Outside the station at Suspension Bridge, opposite the refreshment &c, rooms but on the other or opposite side of the building, Atriplex patula, with hastate leaves & Chenopodium glaucum, abundant.  Brought by Rail? Oct. 5, 1868 (Clinton Journal). Ontario, Niagara Park System, Cameron (1895). "... Buffalo southward to Gowanda and northward to Niagara Falls and beyond...," Zenkert (1934). "[Niagara] Parks, Ontario," Hamilton (1943).

var. hastata (L.) Gray. HALBERD-LEAVED ORACHE, SPEARLEAF FAT-HEN SALTBUSH. "American side of the River above the Falls," Day (1888). Ontario, Niagara Park System, Cameron (1895). Ontario: Roundhouse, Niagara Falls, Wm. Scott, Sept. 24, 1898, Niagara Falls, M. Wilkes, Aug. 27, 1895 (52.124), Heimburger (1955). Parks, Ontario," Hamilton (1943).

var. patula. Ontario: Dufferin Islands, Eckel & Eckel Oct. 9, 1987 (BUF). Our plants here called var. litoralis are described in the literature as a "strictly maritime diploid species," Voss (1985), and are probably var. patula. They do, however, have tuberculate bracteoles. See Bassett et al. (1983), Taschereau (1972).

[All as var. littoralis:] New York: Second of the Three Sisters Islands, Eckel & Eckel, Oct. 9, 1987 (BUF); crest of gorge by Whirlpool St. Pk., Eckel & Zander, Sept. 11, 1987 (BUF); Whirlpool State Park, wooded area crest of Niagara Gorge. P. M. Eckel 880158 June 11, 1987 (BUF); DeVeaux college woods, opposite Whirlpool State Park & Robt. Moses Pkwy.; single station, Quercus rubra dominated woods, Acer sacharum.  Woods margin.P. M. Eckel. Sept. 1997 (BUF).

 

Ont. [As var. patula: Ontario: Dufferin Islands, Weedy margin of a small island near the southern mainland. Small disturbed island used by swimmers in summer. Eckel & Eckel Oct. 9, 1987 (BUF); (ad var. patula) City of Fort Erie. Dolomite ballast on the Niagara River, just N of the Peace Bridge, behind houses and restaurants. With an assemblage of European adventives.  Dupl. P.M.Eckel 8703231 Sept. 23, 1986 (BUF); Navy Island 43*o3'N, 79*01'W, just south of Niagara Falls, Quercus rubra, Q. palustris, Carya ovata, C. laciniosa woods. West and S side of the island. Beach.P. M. Eckel s.n. Sept. 30, 1998 (BUF).

 

Erie Co. (as var. hastata) City of Buffalo. Squaw Island, Niagara River. E. Chamot Aug., 1930 (BUF).

 

                          Voss (1985) reported this species as "thriving where salting of streets and highways has killed the competition; also in marshy ground." He also indicated that this species is probably introduced into our flora.   

 

                          Our plants at Niagara called var. litoralis are described in the literature as a "strictly maritime diploid species," (Voss, 1985), and are probably var. patula.  They do, however, have tuberculate bracteoles; see Bassett et al. (1983), Taschereau (1972).

 

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