Tecticornia flabelliformis

Compact, deep-rooted subshrub to c. 30 cm high. Articles of ultimate branches narrowly obovoid to barrel-shaped, 5–10 mm long, dull or glossy; lobes very obtuse to almost truncate, margins entire or minutely and irregularly dentate. Spikes terminal, to c. 5 cm long; opposite bracts free from each other, margins entire or crenulate; flowers free; perianth truncate at apex. Fruiting perianth and pericarp membranous, translucent, whitish or pale brown; seed broadly elliptic to squarish, 1.2–1.8 mm long, falling enclosed in perianth, testa thin, mid brown, minutely tuberculate in several rows around margin, otherwise almost smooth. Flowers Mar.–May.