The old man saltbush is another of the large group of Chenopods found throughout Fowlers Gap and indeed Australia. The old man saltbush is observed near water courses in Lake Paddock and may occur elsewhere.

Old man saltbushes are erect, usually dioecious, bushy shrubs up to about 3 m high and are the tallest of the Australian saltbushes.

Bark: branches are wide, brittle and woody.
Leaves: broadly ovate to circular and 10-35 mm long, grey, scaly, with margins entire or shallowly lobed and toothed, often wavy.
Flowers: clustered in pannicles about 20 cm long, occur where the leaves join the stem.
Fruit: 5-15 mm wide resembling 2 flat wings attached together, produced in abundance, varying in shape between subspecies.
Source: Frank Kutsche and Brendan Lay (2003). Field guide to the plants of outback South Australia. Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation, South Australia, ISBN 0 7590 1052 8.
Phillip Moore (2005). A guide to plants of inland Australia. Reed New Holland, ISBN 1 876334 86 X.
Photos: Ian Roach

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