Dysphania littoralis, R. Br. Prod

George Bentham & Ferdinand Mueller, 1870, Chenopodium & Dysphania, Flora Australiensis, London: L. Reeve & Co., pp. 157-165 : -1

2. D. littoralis, R. Br. Prod . 411.

A small plant apparently annual, although sometimes hard and perhaps fleshy at the base, with ascending branching stems of 2 to 3 in., glabrous or nearly so. Leaves all petiolate, ovate or oblong, obtuse, entire, rather thick and sometimes fleshy, not above 2 lines long. Flower-clusters all axillary, but nearly all close together, forming a terminal leafy spike occupying the greater part of the plant, the lower clusters sometimes rather more distant. Flowers numerous in the cluster, chiefly females. Perianth of 3 or rarely 2 segments falling off together and enclosing the fruit, the segments all equal, obovate, clavate, concave, contracted at the base, about ¼ line long. Fruit still shorter, obovoid, somewhat oblique; style 1, very finely filiform and very deciduous. Stamens 1 or 2 but difficult to find, the anthers falling off early from the very minute flowers.

N. Australia. Moist salt places on the N. coast (snatched up in the hurry of escape from an armed native in close pursuit, and never seen again, R. Brown.

S. Australia. Flooded ground S. of Wills Creek , Howitt's Expedition.