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Bladder saltbush facts for kids

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Bladder saltbush
Atriplex vesicaria.jpg
Scientific classification
Genus:
Atriplex
Species:
vesicaria

Atriplex vesicaria, also known as bladder saltbush, is a special plant found only in Australia. It's a type of saltbush, which means it can grow well in salty places.

What is Bladder Saltbush?

This plant is a shrub that can stand tall or spread out. It usually grows up to about one meter (about 3 feet) high. Its leaves are shaped like ovals and are quite small, usually between 5 and 25 millimeters long.

How Scientists Name Plants

Scientists use a system called taxonomy to give plants and animals special names. This helps everyone know exactly what plant or animal they are talking about.

Naming the Bladder Saltbush

A scientist named George Bentham first officially described the bladder saltbush in 1870. Sometimes, plants can have different forms that look a bit different from each other. These are called subspecies. For the bladder saltbush, scientists have found several subspecies, which are like different types of the same plant.

Here are some of the known subspecies:

  • A. vesicaria subsp. vesicaria
  • A. vesicaria subsp. appendiculata
  • A. vesicaria subsp. variabilis
  • A. vesicaria subsp. calcicola
  • A. vesicaria subsp. minor
  • A. vesicaria subsp. incompta
  • A. vesicaria subsp. macrocystidia
  • A. vesicaria subsp. sphaerocarpa

Where Bladder Saltbush Grows

You can find bladder saltbush in dry and semi-dry parts of southern Australia. It likes to grow in places like sandy coastal areas, dry lake beds, and rocky limestone ridges.

Images for kids

  • Atriplex vesicaria habit (larger)

    Habit (subsp. macrocystidia) near Balranald

  • A. Vesicaria fruit in macro

    A macro image of an Atriplex vesicaria fruit and leaf

  • A. Vesicaria - Shrub in cracking clay

    Atriplex vesicaria shrub in cracking clay. Stud Creek, Sturt National Park, NSW

  • A. Vesicaria - Shrub displaying abundant fruits

    Abundant fruits on the Atriplex vesicaria

  • A. Vesicaria fruit in macro

    A macro image of an Atriplex vesicaria fruit and leaf

  • A. Vesicaria fruits in macro

    A macro image of Atriplex vesicaria fruits

  • A group of Atriplex vesicaria shrubs

    A group of Atriplex vesicaria shrubs

  • Close-up of the species Atriplex Vesicaria

    Branches and leaves of the Atriplex vesicaria

  • Still image - Atriplex versicaria with flowers and fruit

    Atriplex vesicaria displaying male flowers and fruit

  • Atriplex vesicaria in persons hand for scale

    A person holding a branch of Atriplex vesicaria. Port Bonython, SA. Photo by possumpete, 2022.

  • Close up aerial view of Atriplex vesicaria

    Looking down on an Atriplex vesicaria shrub. Port Bonython, SA. Photo by possumpete, 2022.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Atriplex vesicaria para niños

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