Estuary sea-blite is a glabrous, generally glaucous yellow-green to reddish perennial or subshrub growing to about 2' high. Often weedy at the base, the stems are decumbent to erect.  The alternate leaves are sessile, ascending, linear-lanceolate and greenish, and the adaxial or upper surfaces are ± flat.  The inflorescences are clusters mainly in the upper leaf axils with 3-5 flowers in each cluster.  The flowers are bisexual, very small, with the calyx lobes keeled and distally hooded.  There are 2-3 glabrous linear stigmas.  The seeds come in two different forms, one convex on both sides and black to reddish, and the other flat and dull brown.  Estuary sea-blite is an uncommon taxon found in low coastal salt marshes along the South Coast, blooming in late summer and fall.  These pictures were taken at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.

Click here for Latin name derivations: 1) Suaeda 2) esteroa.
Pronunciation: soo-EE-da es-ter-OH-a.
Click here for Botanical Term Meanings.