New kind of plant on the beach

**Observation by Nancy Yeaton:*

These plants have not ever been on the beach in all the years I have walked this beach. They are aggressive and are pushing the "beach greens," that grow naturally. There were two new plants, I did not have my phone to take photos, but I clipped a piece of that second plant. When I went back to take photos, the aggressive plant took over the spot where the second plant was growing.

LEO Says:

We reached out to Gino Graziano for help with the species identification.This appears to be the first post in LEO Network about this type of plant.

Consult by Gino Graziano

Consulting with a colleague we determined the plant is Atriplex gmelini var.alaskensis, a native plant sometimes called saltbush.

Comment from Gemini:

Several previous observations in the LEO Network relate to unusual plants observed in Alaska. While the current observation identifies a plant new to the observer and / or the area. Atriplex gmelini var. alaskensis, is however, a native plant to Alaska generally. Other observations include reports of an unidentified plant found below Oskawalik on the Kuskokwim River (https://www.leonetwork.org/observations/60d55473a217a700180c96ea), and an unidentified purple plant found in Kokhanok (https://www.leonetwork.org/observations/5750853fe500c40a43428633). It is important to differentiate between native plants and invasive species, such as the Split Lip Hempnettle (Galeopsis bifida) reported in Kokhanok in 2016 (https://www.leonetwork.org/observations/57a63f90e500c40a43428b1b). As in the observation from Nanwalek of Carex macrocephala (https://www.leonetwork.org/observations/59917d120800780018258a7c), environmental conditions can impact the abundance of particular species.