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Shadscale - Atriplex confertifolia
Native Species
Global Rank:
G5
State Rank:
S5
(see State Rank Reason below)
C-value:
4
Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:
State Rank Reason (see State Rank above)
Atriplex confertifolia is common to abundant in some, open and sparsely vegetated habitats in eastern Montana. Populations are robust and no significant and widespread threats to the species are known.
General Description
Dioecious shrubs 40–80 cm tall with scurfy foliage. Stems rigid, spiny, intricately branched. Leaf blades ovate to orbiculate, 5–20 mm long with entire margins. Inflorescence axillary glomerules or dense spike-like panicles. Male flowers 4- to 5-parted. Female flowers lacking a calyx; pistillate bracts united <1/2-way. Mature pistillate bracts ovate to elliptic, 5–13 mm long with entire margins above (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Species Range
Montana Range
Range Descriptions
Native
Range Comments
Widely distributed across eastern two-thirds of MT; OR to ND south to CA, AZ, and TX (Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database
Number of Observations: 317
(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version)
Relative Density
Recency
(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)
Habitat
Fine-textured, saline soils of stream terraces, badlands; often with sagebrush or greasewood; plains, valleys (
Lesica et al. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. BRIT Press. Fort Worth, TX).
Ecological Communities Associated with this Species
Shrubland
Arid - Saline Shrubland
Wetland and Riparian
Alkaline - Saline Wetlands
Stewardship Responsibility
References
- Literature Cited AboveLegend:
View Online Publication- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2012. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 771 p.
- Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?
Anderson, N.L. 1951. Field studies on the biology of range grasshoppers of southeastern Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, Montana: Montana State University. 96 p.- Brotherson, J. D., L. L. Rasmussen, and R. D. Black. 1986. Comparative habitat and community relationships of Atriplex confertifolia and Sarcobatus vermiculatus in central Utah. Great Basin Naturalist 46(2):348-357.
- Egan, J.L. 1957. Some relationships between mule deer and alfalfa production in Powder River County, Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 34 p.
- Harvey, S.J. 1990. Responses of steppe plants to gradients of water soil texture and disturbance in Montana, U.S.A. Ph.D. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 34 p.
- Johnson, J.R. 1966. The effects of some environmental influences on big sagebrush, Artemisia tridentata Nutt., reinvasion. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 100 pp.
- Lesica, P., M.T. Lavin, and P.F. Stickney. 2022. Manual of Montana Vascular Plants, Second Edition. Fort Worth, TX: BRIT Press. viii + 779 p.
- Plantenberg, P.L. 1983. Factors affecting vegetation development on mined land at Colstrip, Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 121 p.
- Quire, R.L. 2013. The sagebrush steppe of Montana and southeastern Idaho shows evidence of high native plant diversity, stability, and resistance to the detrimental effects of nonnative plant species. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 124 p.
- Seipel, T.F. 2006. Plant species diversity in the sagebrush steppe of Montana. M.Sc. Thesis. Bozeman, MT: Montana State University. 87 p.
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