Hello friends,
I strongly believe this plant is Suaeda sp.


... click on photo for more views (URL edited, since now identified)

I have found this by creek-side; and also in the near-by paddy fields (Vasai Creek, Thane).  

--Last edited by dinesh valke on 2008-05-28 00:33:12 --

I could find 3 species of Suaeda occuring in India - S. maritima, S. nudiflora, S. fruticosa. My preference was maritima, as it means occurring near sea.
However, all the three species have flowers smaller than the leaves. Your flowers look distinctly larger than the leaves...

S. monoica --- (Greater Indian Saltwort) is ruled out knowing that it is relatively a large shrub.
(Indeed, the flowers are large. And that makes it difficult to come to conclusion).

I see:

plant:
about 30-40 cm, herbaceous, many branched right above the ground, further not/once/twice branched.

leaf:
about 5-7 mm, whorled, sessile, linear, succulent, tomentose

inflorescence:
terminal cymes, 3-5 flowers opened

flower:
about 7-8 mm; petals 0 (guessing); sepals 5, cream-coloured, membraneous; 5 stamens, longer than sepals, 2 styles shorter than stamens
older flowers rust-coloured


With descrïptions available on WWW, this plant does not seem to be any of the three Suaeda species !!!


Suaeda maritima (Chenopodium maritinum)
Seaside Indian Saltwort
Descrïption at Mangroves of India
... has one small flower per axil

Suaeda fruticosa
Flowering & fruiting period: November-April
Descrïption at eFlora
... though the plant is of different shape and size at various places, the flowers are borne in axial clusters.

Suaeda nudiflora (S. indica, Salsola indica)
Common Indian Saltwort (Salt Bush, Indian Gloss-wort, Indian Salsola)
Flowering & fruiting period: November-April
Descrïption at Mangroves of India

I will also put it in the unidentified list at FOI, so that the experts can have a crack at it.

OK. Thanks, Tabish.

Identified as Cressa cretica!!
Tony helped me know the genus (as good as letting me know the species).

... so much of my thinking about Suaeda ...  

Common names posted in New Flower  

--Last edited by dinesh valke on 2008-05-28 00:39:42 --