Bloom Turns Beach Orange

Observation: Fred Dundas Sr. took this photo on a local beach. This is the first time we have ever seen this plant on our beaches. Mary Kennedy

Alaska Natural Heritage Program Consult: Dr. Matt Carlson writes, "Species determinations from photographs are inherently uncertain. Collecting specimens and sending to qualified experts is recommended. Good instructions for collecting plants is of primary interest to plant taxonomists and is essential background for plant geographers and ecologists. It has also become increasingly obvious that an inventory of plant diversity is a foundation for efforts to conserve natural resources, and plant specimens are the physical documentation of this diversity. Clear photographs of the habitat and a single specimen on a solid background can be used to identify some species, but certainly not all. Characteristics that are used in identification often include a range of structures including roots, stems and leaves, and flowers and fruits. Possible species found on upper beaches that are erect and often orange or reddish that I can think of include: Salicornia virginica (pickleweed), three Atriplex species that are found along seashores that are often reddish are A. drymarioides, A. gmelini, and A.alaskensis. Closer investigations of the plants should help distinguish if they are fleshy and without normal leaves (Salicornia) or with leaves and often with a powdery covering (Atriplex species), or something else entirely. If the original image is one of these species, they are not that uncommon on upper beaches and flats along the Pacific Coast of southern Alaska. Many plant species, particularly those that are associated with habitats that experience disturbances like wave action and inundation, come and go from areas over time – and sometimes they can achieve rather high abundances. It is quite possible that the area was recently colonized by the plants or they were at much lower densities before." (Biological Sciences Department, University of Alaska Anchorage)