Leaves nearly completely absent, reduced to minute scales arranged oppositely on stem joints, often clasping to form a ring at the joints. Main stems are wide spreading and sprawling or erect and compact, jointed into segments 2-20 mm long, crowded with many short branchlets themselves segmented every 5-15 mm. Branching is opposite in arrangement. The joints are 2-3 mm in diameter, terrete (round in cross section). Inflorescence consists of terminal spikes ~1-4 cm long, forming dense jointed cylinders ~2-3 mm wide, with 3-7 individual flowers arranged on opposite sides of the lowermost joints of the spikes. The flowers are minute, have fleshy calyxes, 1-2 stamens, and 2 styles united at their base (if you can see any of these features!). Flowers from April through September. Fruit a bladder included in the calyx with a single tiny (~1 mm) smooth brown seed. Plant is a perennial herb, reaching from 15-30 cm in height, growing in salt marshes and low alkaline places along the coast from the Bay Area south, the Channel Islands, the San Joaquin Valley, and deserts down to Mexico at elevations under 800 m.
Salicornia subterminalis aka Arthrocnemum subterminale (Amaranthaceae or Chenopodiaceae): pickleweed, Parish's pickleweed, Parish's glasswort
The development of this key was partially funded through the Geoscience Diversity Enhancement Program (Award #0703798) and through a course of re-assigned time provided by the CSULB Scholarly and Creative Activities Committee. Thanks also to the students in sections of biogeography, introductory physical geography, GDEP, and LSAMP for "test-driving" various editions of this key.