Suaeda maritima

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant in the amaranth family}} {{Speciesbox |image = Suaeda maritima 01 by Line1.JPG |genus = Suaeda |species = maritima |authority = (L.) Dumort. |synonyms = {{ collapsible list | *''Atriplex maritima'' (L.) Crantz *''Chenopodina aestuaria'' Dumort. *''Chenopodina bacciformis'' Dumort. *''Chenopodina filiformis'' Moq. *''Chenopodina maritima'' (L.) Moq. *''Chenopodina maritima'' var. ''erecta'' Moq. *''Chenopodina sativa'' Moq. *''Chenopodina spicata'' Moq. *''Chenopodina tortuosa'' Moq. *''Chenopodium filiforme'' Dumort. *''Chenopodium hostii'' Ledeb. *''Chenopodium jacquinii'' Ten. *''Chenopodium macrocarpum'' Desv. *''Chenopodium maritimum'' L. *''Chenopodium spicatum'' Schult. *''Cochliospermum cavanillesii'' Lag. *''Dondia fernaldii'' Standl. *''Dondia maritima'' (L.) Druce *''Dondia richii'' (Fernald) A.Heller *''Kochia sedoides'' (L.) Schrad. *''Lerchia maritima'' (L.) Kuntze *''Salsola carnosa'' Moq. *''Salsola chenopodiana'' Moq. *''Salsola hostii'' Tratt. *''Salsola indica'' Willd. *''Salsola marina'' Moq. *''Salsola maritima'' (L.) M.Bieb. *''Salsola scabra'' Moq. *''Salsola sedoides'' L. *''Salsola strobilifera'' Moq. *''Salsola succulenta'' Moq. *''Schoberia crassifolia'' Steud. *''Schoberia indica'' (Willd.) Kostel. *''Schoberia macrocarpa'' C.A.Mey. *''Schoberia maritima'' (L.) C.A.Mey. *''Suaeda aestuaria'' Dumort. *''Suaeda albescens'' Lázaro Ibiza *''Suaeda bacciformis'' Dumort. *''Suaeda cavanillesiana'' (Lázaro Ibiza) Cout. *''Suaeda fernaldii'' (Standl.) Standl. *''Suaeda filiformis'' Dumort. *''Suaeda indica'' (Willd.) Moq. *''Suaeda jacquinii'' Dumort. *''Suaeda littoralis'' Grecescu *''Suaeda macrocarpa'' Moq. *''Suaeda maritima'' var. ''aestuaria'' (Dumort.) P.D.Sell *''Suaeda maritima'' var. ''bacciformis'' (Dumort.) P.D.Sell *''Suaeda maritima'' var. ''erecta'' (Moq.) P.D.Sell *''Suaeda maritima'' var. ''purpurascens'' P.D.Sell *''Suaeda richii'' Fernald *''Suaeda tortuosa'' Moq. }} |synonyms_ref =<ref>{{cite web |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1071140-2#synonyms |title=''Suaeda maritima'' (L.) Dumort. |author= |date=2017 |website=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |access-date=12 July 2020 }}</ref> }} '''''Suaeda maritima''''' is a species of flowering plant in the family Amaranthaceae known by the common names '''herbaceous seepweed'''<ref>{{PLANTS|id=SUMA|taxon=Suaeda maritima|accessdate=4 December 2015}}</ref> and '''annual seablite'''.

== Description == It is a yellow-green shrub with fleshy, succulent leaves and green flowers. It grows to about {{Convert|35|cm|abbr=on}} in salt marshes.<ref name = seablite>{{cite web| author = | title= Annual seablite ''Suaeda maritima'' | url= https://wildflowerfinder.org.uk/Flowers/S/Seablite%28Annual%29/Seablite%28Annual%29.htm| publisher= wildflowerfinder.org.uk }} Retrieved 5 September 2012.</ref> It is edible as a leaf vegetable, and due to its high salt content it can be used in combination with other foods as a seasoning. It is found worldwide,<ref name="nativeplanttrust">{{cite web |title= Suaeda maritima (herbaceous sea-blite) | url= https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/suaeda/maritima/ |publisher= nativeplanttrust.org }} </ref> but in North America it is primarily located on the northern east coast: in New England, ''S. maritima ssp. maritima'' is introduced, while the native species is ''S. maritima ssp. richii''. The native New England species is on endangered rare plant lists in Massachusetts (rare) and Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island (extremely rare, S1), subject to protection and prohibition from disturbance.<ref name="nativeplanttrust" />

== Habitat == This plant resides in aquatic, terrestrial, and wetland habitats.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Plants Profile for Suaeda maritima (herbaceous seepweed)|url=http://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile?symbol=SUMA|access-date=2020-12-17|website=plants.usda.gov}}</ref> But mainly in salt marshes and sea shores, usually below the high water mark. Additionally, ''Suaeda maritima'' is able to catch mud and help build up the marshes.<ref name="NBN Atlas">{{Cite web|title=Suaeda maritima : Annual Sea-blite {{!}} NBN Atlas|url=https://species.nbnatlas.org/species/NBNSYS0000003121|access-date=2020-12-17|website=species.nbnatlas.org}}</ref>

== Development == The leaves are simple and arranged alternatively, with one leaf per node along the stem. Their leaves also absorb large amounts of salt and will turn red when oversaturated.<ref name="NBN Atlas" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Suaeda maritima (herbaceous sea-blite): Go Botany|url=https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/suaeda/maritima/|access-date=2020-12-17|website=gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org}}</ref> The flower can be either radially symmetrical or bilaterally symmetrical.

== Life cycle == The life cycle of ''Suaeda maritima'' is known to be mainly annually. This plant will perform its entire life cycle from seed to flower then back to a seed within a single growing season. All roots, stems and leaves of the ''Suaeda maritima'' plant will die and the only thing that can bridge the gap between each generation is a dormant seed.

== Medicine == There are currently no known medical sources that the ''Suaeda'' ''maritima'' plant is used for.

== Food == As cited earlier, this plant may be subject to protection and prohibition from harvest or disturbance.<ref name="nativeplanttrust" /> The young leaves of sea blite can be consumed raw or cooked,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Suaeda maritima (Sea Blite) - Practical Plants|url=https://practicalplants.org/wiki/Suaeda_maritima#cite_note-PFAFimport-9-5|access-date=2020-12-17|website=practicalplants.org|language=en}}</ref> although it has a strong salty flavor. The seeds are also consumable raw or cooked.

The ashes of the sea blite have been used to create a material used in making soap and glass.

== References == {{Reflist}}

maritima Category:Halophytes Category:Barilla plants Category:Flora of Canada Category:Flora of the Northeastern United States Category:Flora of the Southeastern United States Category:Flora of Malta Category:Flora without expected TNC conservation status Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Amaranthaceae-stub}}