Taxon: Salsola tragus L.

Summary

Genus:

Salsola

Family:

Chenopodiaceae

Subfamily:

Salsoloideae

Tribe:

Salsoleae

Nomen number:

32817

Place of publication:

Cent. pl. II:13. 1756 (Amoen. acad. 4:310. 1759)

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

05/15/2001 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

1 (1 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Autonym(s)
Salsola tragus L. subsp. tragus

Homotypic Synonym(s)
Salsola kali L. subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Salsola australis R. Br.
Salsola kali L. subsp. iberica (Sennen & Pau) Rilke
Salsola kali L. subsp. ruthenica (Iljin) Soó
Salsola kali L. var. tenuifolia Tausch
Salsola pestifer A. Nelson
Salsola ruthenica Iljin
Salsola tragus L. subsp. iberica Sennen & Pau

Invalid Designation(s)
Salsola iberica auct.
Salsola kali auct. nonn.

No images

Links

Seeds or fruits – Seed ID Workshop image, from Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio State University
Seeds or fruits – Seed ID Workshop image, from Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, Ohio State University

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
Botschantzev, V. 1969. The genus Salsola; a concise history of its development and dispersal [Russ.]. Bot. Zhurn. (Moscow & Leningrad) 54:991.
Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: = Salsola kali L.
Hegi, G. et al. 1960. Illustrierte Flora von Mittel-Europa 3:. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
Hickman, J. C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: higher plants of California
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Oseland, E. et al. 2020. Examination of commercially available bird feed for weed seed contaminants. Invasive Pl. Sci. Managm. 13:14-22. DOI: 10.1017/inp.2020.2.
Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana. Note: = Salsola kali L.
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
Vibrans, H., ed. Malezas de México (on-line resource).
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	Russian thistle	1	Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
English	Russian tumbleweed	1	Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
English	Russian-cactus	1	Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
English	spineless saltwort	1	Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
English	tumbleweed	1	Hickman, J. C., ed. 1993. The Jepson manual: higher plants of California
French	soude épineuse	2	Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
French	soude roulante	2	Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
German	Ukraine-Salzkraut	2	Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
Japanese Rōmaji	hari-hijiki	2	Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
Swedish	rysk sodaört	2	Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Transcribed Chinese	ci sha peng	2	Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	Macaronesia	Portugal	Azores		Silva, L. et al. 2005. Listagem da fauna e flora terrestres dos Açores. Lista des plantas vasculares (Pteridophyta e Spermatophyta).
1	Native	Africa	Macaronesia	Spain	Canarias		Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Algeria		n.	Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: = Salsola kali L.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Egypt		n.	Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: = Salsola kali L.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Libya		n.e.	Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: = Salsola kali L.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Morocco			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: = Salsola kali L.
1	Native	Africa	Northern Africa	Tunisia			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: = Salsola kali L.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Arabian Peninsula	Saudi Arabia			Miller, A. G. & T. A. Cope. 1996-. Flora of the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Armenia			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Azerbaijan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Georgia			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Russian Federation	Dagestan		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Caucasus	Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia	Ciscaucasia		Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Gansu Sheng	n.	Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Hebei Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Heilongjiang Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Jiangsu Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Jilin Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Liaoning Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Nei Mongol Zizhiqu		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Ningxia Huizi Zizhiqu		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Qinghai Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Shaanxi Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Shandong Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Shanxi Sheng		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China	Xizang Zizhiqu		Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Kazakhstan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Turkmenistan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Middle Asia	Uzbekistan			Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Mongolia	Mongolia			Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Siberia	Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia	Eastern Siberia	s.	Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Siberia	Russian Federation-Western Siberia	Western Siberia	s.	Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Afghanistan			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Iran			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Iraq			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Israel			Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Jordan			Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Lebanon			Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Syria			Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Turkey			Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India	Jammu and Kashmir		Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Nepal			Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Pakistan			Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Russian Federation-European part	European part	s.	Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1	Native	Europe	Eastern Europe	Ukraine		incl. Krym	Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Austria			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Belgium			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Czech Republic			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Germany			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Hungary			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Netherlands			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Poland			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
1	Native	Europe	Middle Europe	Slovakia			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	Finland		s.	Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
1	Native	Europe	Northern Europe	United Kingdom			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Albania			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: = Salsola kali L.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Bosnia and Herzegovina			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Bulgaria			Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: = Salsola kali L.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Croatia			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Greece		incl. Crete	Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: = Salsola kali L.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Italy		incl. Sardinia, Sicily	Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: = Salsola kali L.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Montenegro			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	North Macedonia			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Romania			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Serbia			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Southeastern Europe	Slovenia			Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	France		incl. Corsica	Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Portugal			Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
1	Native	Europe	Southwestern Europe	Spain		incl. Baleares	Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
4	Naturalized					widely natzd. elsewhere	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.

Native
Africa

MACARONESIA: Spain [Canarias], Portugal [Azores]
NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria (n.), Egypt (n.), Libya (n.e.), Morocco, Tunisia

Asia-Temperate

ARABIAN PENINSULA: Saudi Arabia
WESTERN ASIA: Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey
CAUCASUS: Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia [Ciscaucasia], Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation [Dagestan]
SIBERIA: Russian Federation-Western Siberia [Western Siberia (s.)], Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia [Eastern Siberia (s.)]
MIDDLE ASIA: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
MONGOLIA: Mongolia
CHINA: China [Gansu Sheng (n.), Hebei Sheng, Heilongjiang Sheng, Jiangsu Sheng, Jilin Sheng, Liaoning Sheng, Nei Mongol Zizhiqu, Ningxia Huizi Zizhiqu, Qinghai Sheng, Shaanxi Sheng, Shandong Sheng, Shanxi Sheng, Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu, Xizang Zizhiqu]

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India [Jammu and Kashmir], Nepal, Pakistan

Europe

NORTHERN EUROPE: Finland (s.), United Kingdom
MIDDLE EUROPE: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia
EASTERN EUROPE: Russian Federation-European part [European part (s.)], Ukraine (incl. Krym)
SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece (incl. Crete), Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia
SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (incl. Baleares), France (incl. Corsica), Portugal

Naturalized (widely natzd. elsewhere)

Reference(s)

Arechavaleta, M. et al., coords. 2009. Lista de especies silvestres de Canarias: hongos, plantas y animales terrestres
Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist. Note: = Salsola kali L.
Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Miller, A. G. & T. A. Cope. 1996-. Flora of the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra.
Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
Rilke, S. 1999. Revision der Sektion Salsola s.l. der Gattung Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). Biblioth. Bot. 149:111.
Silva, L. et al. 2005. Listagem da fauna e flora terrestres dos Açores. Lista des plantas vasculares (Pteridophyta e Spermatophyta).
Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964-1980. Flora europaea. Note: = Salsola kali subsp. tragus (L.) Nyman
Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Harmful organism host	crop diseases	as Salsola kali subsp. ruthenica	Jones, J. B. et al. 1997. Compendium of tomato diseases. In: American Phytopathological Society, The disease compendium series. 36.
Vertebrate poisons	mammals	as Salsola pestifer	Kingsbury, J. M. 1964. Poisonous plants of the United States and Canada.
Weed		as Salsola pestifer	Welsh, S. L. et al. 1993. A Utah flora. Note: as Salsola pestifer
Weed		as Salsola ruthenica	Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=32817. Accessed 12 May 2026.