Bassia hyssopifolia (Pallus) Kuntze   =Echinopsilon hyssopifolia   Chenopodiaceae (Goosefoot Family)   Eurasia   Five-Hook Bassia

                                        July Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Plant a grayish densely pilose annual with stems branched from base, erect or prostrate, 3-5 dm. long and less hairy in maturity; lvs. alternate, narrowly linear-lanceolate, flat, 2-4 cm. long; fls. in small axillary glomerules, sessile, perfect and female; calyx-lobes broadly ovate, villous, ca. 1 mm. long, each with a spreading hooked spine; ovary ovoid; style short; stigmas 2-3; seed lenticular, free from pericarp, ca. 1 mm. across.

Habitat:  Becoming a common weed in rather alkaline places much of Calif. and in other western states.  July-Oct.

Name:  Named for Ferdinando Bassi, 1710-1771, Italian botanist and Prefect of the Bologna Botanic Gardens.  Hyssopifolia means "leaves like hyssop" an aromatic herb in Greece.  Folia means "leaves."  (Dale 95).

General:  Very common in the study area.  Photographed on the North Star Flats, on the flats near the old Salt Works dike and along the road from the Newporter Inn to San Joaquin Hills Rd.  (my comments).      This is a native of the Caspian Sea region that has been introduced into a few localities of the Western States, among them the Santa Ana Valley.  (Robbins et al. 145).    B. hyssopifolia has been known to accumulate free nitrates and acid potassium oxalates in quantities capable of causing death or distress in cattle.  (Fuller 385).       About 5 species of warm temp. Eurasia. (Hickman, Ed. 506).

Text Ref:  Hickman, Ed. 506; Munz, Flora So. Calif. 359; Robbins et al. 145; Roberts 19.

Photo Ref:  June 2 83 # 23; June 4 83 # 13,14; June 7 83 # 15A; Sept 2 83 # 6.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by F. Roberts.

First Found:  June 1983.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 220.

Have plant specimen.

Last edit 3/3/05.

                                  June Photo                                                                           July Photo