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Home/Species/ Spiny Hop-sage

Grayia spinosa

(Hook.) Moq.

Spiny Hop-sage

G5Secure Found in 80 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.153960
Element CodePDCHE0C020
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassDicotyledoneae
OrderCaryophyllales
FamilyAmaranthaceae
GenusGrayia
Other Common Names
spiny hopsage (EN) Spiny Hopsage (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Review Date1987-09-29
Change Date1987-09-29
Range Extent Comments
E. WA southward; east of the Cascades to s. CA and AZ; east to sw. MT, w. WY, and CO. Peripheral.
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Spiny Hopsage is a rounded, profusely branched shrub that is up to 15 dm high and has erect or spreading, gray-barked, spine-tipped stems. The fleshy, broadly lance-shaped leaves are 10-25 mm long and have entire margins and a short stalk. Foliage is covered with small, star-shaped hairs that easily rub off. Male flowers are on different plants than females flowers, making the plant dioecious. There are 2-5 small, green, sessile male flowers that are 1-2 mm long with a 4-lobed calyx, 4 stamens, and no petals; they occur in the axils of the smaller upper leaves, or bracts. Female flowers are arranged in small spikes in the upper leaf axils. Each flower has an ovary surrounded by 2 green, nearly circular bracts. When mature, the bracts enlarge to be 8-15 mm wide; they are pale to red with thin margins.

Diagnostic Characteristics

The combination of fleshy leaves with circular, entire-margined, female fruiting bracts distinguishes this shrub from species of ATRIPLEX.
Terrestrial Habitats
Desert
Other Nations (1)
United StatesNNR
ProvinceRankNative
WashingtonSNRYes
IdahoSNRYes
OregonSNRYes
ArizonaSNRYes
ColoradoS3Yes
MontanaS2Yes
NevadaS4Yes
CaliforniaSNRYes
UtahSNRYes
WyomingS4Yes
Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (80)
California (37)
AreaForestAcres
Benton RangeInyo National Forest9,637
Birch CreekInyo National Forest28,816
Black CanyonInyo National Forest32,421
Boundary Peak (CA)Inyo National Forest210,884
Chineese Camp (CA)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest4,339
Coyote NorthInyo National Forest11,932
Coyote SoutheastInyo National Forest53,159
Deep WellsInyo National Forest7,681
Devil's Gate (CA)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest9,946
Dexter CanyonInyo National Forest17,053
Excelsior (CA)Inyo National Forest45,607
Glass MountainInyo National Forest52,867
Granite PeakSan Bernardino National Forest450
Hoover - Mt.olsenHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest624
Hoover - Virginia LksHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,050
Horse Mdw.Inyo National Forest5,687
HortonInyo National Forest5,717
Log Cabin SaddlebagInyo National Forest15,165
Mono CratersInyo National Forest7,115
Mt. JacksonHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest20,721
Mt. OlsenInyo National Forest2,161
North LakeInyo National Forest2,406
PaiuteInyo National Forest58,712
Pleasant ViewAngeles National Forest26,395
ScodiesSequoia National Forest725
Soldier CanyonInyo National Forest40,589
South SierraInyo National Forest41,853
Sweetwater (CA)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest19,241
Table Mtn.Inyo National Forest4,215
TinemahaInyo National Forest27,060
WattersonInyo National Forest6,922
West Walker (CA)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest495
Wheeler RidgeInyo National Forest15,744
Wild Horse Mtn. (CA)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest28,822
Wonoga Pk.Inyo National Forest11,272
WoodpeckerSequoia National Forest11,936
WoolstaffSequoia National Forest41,445
Idaho (1)
AreaForestAcres
Italian PeakCaribou-Targhee National Forest141,158
Montana (3)
AreaForestAcres
Gallatin FringeGallatin National Forest51,571
MadisonGallatin National Forest127,859
West Big HoleBeaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest133,563
Nevada (34)
AreaForestAcres
Alta T - WestHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest3,445
Arc Dome - Secret BsnHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest74,782
Aurora CraterHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,689
Bald Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest41,598
Bank SpringsHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest18,126
Black SpringHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,016
Boundary Peak (NV)Inyo National Forest21,851
Butler Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest25,878
ButtermilkHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest19,373
Chineese Camp (NV)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest15,207
Excelsior Mtns.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest69,071
Fourmile HillHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest15,718
Larken LakeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest4,159
Long ValleyHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest50,472
Mahogany RidgeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest16,765
Moriah - Hendrys Ck.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest2,345
Mt. HicksHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest15,698
Pearl PeakHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest71,405
Pine Grove NorthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest8,749
Pine Grove SouthHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest88,945
QuinnHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest62,459
Red PeakHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest7,319
Rose - Alum CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest853
Rose - EvansHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest4,782
Rose - Hunter EastHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest54
Santa RosaHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest54,555
SaulsburyHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest30,957
Seyler PeakHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,938
South SchellHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest125,614
SugarloafInyo National Forest11,534
Toquima CaveHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest43,147
Ward MountainHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest15,927
Wellington HillsHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest21,009
West Walker (NV)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest5,683
Utah (2)
AreaForestAcres
0419020Ashley National Forest355,684
Signal PeakFishlake National Forest30,889
Wyoming (3)
AreaForestAcres
0401021Ashley National Forest5,152
0401035Ashley National Forest5,465
0401036Ashley National Forest6,309
References (2)
  1. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  2. Lesica, P. and P. L. Achuff. 1992. Distribution of vascular plant species of special concern and limited distribution in the Pryor Mountain desert, Carbon County, Montana. Unpublished report to the Bureau of Land Management. Montana Natural Heritage Program, Helena, MT. 105 pp.