Atriplex hymenelytra – “Desert Holly”

Other Botanical Names: Obione hymenelytra
Family: Goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae)
Bloom Period: Jan-Apr
Form: Perennial shrub
Habitat: Slopes, washes, scrub
Leaves: Holly-like: ovate or round with irregular teeth, silvery-grey
Translation: “Atriplex” is the Latin name for plants in this genus; “hymenelytra” is from Greek “hymen,” which is “membrane,” and “elytra,” which is “a sheath or cover”; this must apply to some part of the plant’s morphology.
Notes: Dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are on separate plants. Female flowers are green and disc-shaped. Males are brown clusters. Neither female nor male flowers look like flowers. Females produce small red fruits, adding to the Holly-like appearance.
Animal relationships: Host plant for Western Pygmy Blue butterfly.