PICKLEWEED
(Allenrolfea occidentalis)
By reducing leaf size, the plant minimizes surface through which water can be lost. Green stems assume the task of photosynthesis, normally done by leaves, providing food for the plant of this arid environment.
Although the sand does not often appear wet, pickleweed suggests water is not far below the surface. It requires a wet soil and can grow in very salty areas. Watch for pickleweed near Badwater also.
Find a different shrub, gently rub a leaf and smell it. Does it smell faintly like fish? Look at the leaf you have just rubbed. Did the surface dust rub off to reveal a deeper shade of green? Does it have fleshy leaves? If so, you have found the inkweed (Suaeda torryana). If your shrub has a less noticeable smell, and perhaps rubber-like texture, and if you did not easily remove the white chalky coating from the light gray green leaves, it is saltbush. If your shrub has numerous tiny spines, be careful, you may have found a Russian thistle (Salsola kali) or tumbleweed, as it is also called. They are not native to Death Valley, but have become established in certain areas.
INKWEED
(Suaeda torryana)
Inkweed’s young succulent leaves and seeds were used for food by local Shoshoni Indians. Stems and leaves were processed to make a black dye. You may notice tiny balls of seeds at the very ends of some branches. The green flowers are very inconspicuous.
FOUR-WING SALTBUSH
(Atriplex canescens)
Saltbush is light green and its dry, flat leaves are covered with salt. Roots remove salts from the soil and water, then the salt is deposited on the outer surface of the leaves. Consequently, the whitened leaf surfaces reflect sunlight, thereby reducing temperature and water loss. There are male and female saltbushes. You may want to search for seeds or flowers. Seeds on female bushes have four tiny wings which give it the name—four-wing saltbush (Atriplex canescens). Seeds were used as food by Shoshoni Indians.