Suaeda fruticosa

(L.) Forssk. ex J.F.Gmel

Shrubby seablite

AmaranthaceaeLeavesSeeds/Nuts

iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) Nick Helme, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Nick Helme

iNaturalist · cc-by-nc-sa
(c) David Hoare, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by David Hoare

iNaturalist · cc-by-nc
(c) Abdul-lateef Ismail, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Abdul-lateef Ismail

What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves, Seeds

Young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked and carry a salty flavour. The seeds are also edible raw or cooked.

Where to Find It

It is a Mediterranean climate plant. It grows on salt land. In Argentina it grows below 500 m above sea level.

Afghanistan, Africa, Angola, Argentina, Asia, Botswana, Britain, Central Africa, East Africa, Egypt, Eritrea, Europe, India, Iraq, Mediterranean, Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, South America, St Helena,

Countries: Andorra, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bangladesh, Belgium, Burkina Faso, Bulgaria, Bahrain, Burundi, Benin, Brunei, Bolivia, Brazil, Bhutan, Botswana, Belarus, Congo (DRC), Central African Republic, Congo (Republic), Switzerland, Cote d'Ivoire, Chile, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Cape Verde, Cyprus, Czechia, Germany, Djibouti, Denmark, Algeria, Ecuador, Estonia, Egypt, Eritrea, Spain, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, United Kingdom, Georgia, French Guiana, Ghana, Gambia, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Croatia, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, India, Iraq, Iran, Iceland, Italy, Jordan, Japan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Cambodia, Comoros, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Laos, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Sri Lanka, Liberia, Lesotho, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Libya, Morocco, Monaco, Moldova, Montenegro, Madagascar, North Macedonia, Mali, Myanmar, Mongolia, Mauritania, Malta, Mauritius, Maldives, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Netherlands, Norway, Nepal, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Paraguay, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sudan, Sweden, Singapore, Slovenia, Slovakia, Sierra Leone, San Marino, Senegal, Somalia, Suriname, South Sudan, Sao Tome & Principe, Syria, Eswatini, Chad, Togo, Thailand, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Taiwan, Tanzania, Ukraine, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How to Identify

A herb or small shrub. It grows 1.6 m high. It has many branches. It spreads to 30-60 cm across. The leaves are alternate. They are scattered and narrow. The leaves are 6-8 mm long.

How to Grow

Dislikes shade. Succeeds in saline soils and tolerates maritime exposure.

Propagation: Sow seed in spring, direct in situ.

Medicinal Uses

The leaves can be applied as a poultice to treat ophthalmia. When infused in water, they act as an emetic.

Other Uses

The plant has a high potassium content and is commonly burnt to produce potash, which is used in the manufacture of soap and glass.

Wikipedia

Source ↗

Suaeda fruticosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae (formerly placed in the family Chenopodiaceae). It is a small shrub, with very variable appearance over its wide range. It is a halophyte, and occurs in arid and semi-arid saltflats, salt marshes and similar habitats.

Other Information

The leaves are sold in markets.

Notes

Also put in the family Chenopodiaceae.

Names & Synonyms

Bui, Chhoti-lani, Dana, Ishuklani, Kasakasa, Lana, Lni-ni-bhaji, Lonia, Lunak, Lunki, Moras, Nunkhuri, Xudhuun

Chenopodium fruticosum L.Salsola fruticosa L.Lerchea obtusifolia Steud.Suaeda mesopotamica Eig.

References (5)

Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 607
Fl. aegypt.-arab. 70. 1775 (basionym: Chenopodium fruticosum L.)
Plants for a Future database, The Field, Penpol, Lostwithiel, Cornwall, PL22 0NG, UK. http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/
Shah, G.L., 1984, Some economically important plant of Salsette Island near Bombay. J. Econ. Tax. Bot. Vol. 5 No. 4 pp 753-765
Thiselton-Dywer, W.T., (Ed.), 1913, Flora of Tropical Africa. Vol VI-section 1. Reeve, p 91