Black-seeded Samphire

Scientific Name:	Halosarcia pergranulata (syn. Arthrocnemum halocnemoides var. pergranulatum)	Black-seeded Samphire Photo: R Clark
Other Common Names:	Black-seeded Glasswort, Beadbush
Status:	Native to all mainland states of Australia.
Plant Description:	A dense succulent shrub with numerous woody stems and short segmented leafless, branchlets made up of small segments, 1-3 mm long and looking like a row of beads. Can grow up to 1 m tall but is often quite a low-growing plant. Flowers and fruiting bodies are 5 cm succulent spikes at the ends of the branchlets. Flowers in spring to early summer.
Habitat::	Grows on clay loams to heavy clays. Found in coastal areas, drainage lines and around salt lakes. It is sometimes found as short red plants in very saline areas.
Comments:	The species of Halosarcia are difficult to separate, particularly without seed. Black-seeded Samphire is the most common species in Victoria but of the 9 that occur, the other most common species are H. halocnemoides (Grey Glasswort), H. indica (Brown-head Glasswort) and H. pruinosa (Bluish Glasswort). Recent research suggest that a number of similar samphire genera, including Halosarcia be combined under the genus Tecticornia.

Black-seeded Samphire - bush Photo: A J Brown	Black-seeded Samphire - female flower spikes Photo: A J Brown	Black-seeded Samphire - flowerheads Photo: A J Brown
Black-seeded Samphire - shrubland Photo: A J Brown