Atriplex hymenelytra

Desert holly
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Amaranthaceae
Genus: Atriplex
Species:
A. hymenelytra
Binomial name
Atriplex hymenelytra

Atriplex hymenelytra, the desert holly, is silvery-whitish-gray shrub in the family Amaranthaceae, native to deserts of the southwestern United States.[1]: 141 [2]: 271  It is the most drought tolerant saltbush in North America.[2] It can tolerate the hottest and driest sites in Death Valley, and remains active most of the year.[2]

The common name refers to the leaves that are shaped similar to holly, but the plants are not related.[1]: 141  The toothed leaves and the small reddish[citation needed] fruits borne on the plant give it a passing resemblance to the unrelated European holly.[3]

  1. ^ a b Wildflowers of the Sonoran Desert, Richard Spellenberg, 2nf ed, 2012, ISBN 9780762773688
  2. ^ a b c Mojave Desert Wildflowers, Pam Mackay, 2nd ed.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference jep was invoked but never defined (see the help page).