Desert Seepweed
Mojave Seablite
Suaeda moquinii
(Suaeda torreyana)
Drawn from live specimens found along the Gila River near Buckeye, Arizona. 29 Aug, 1993. a) cut away view of stem with gallery, b) a pyralid moth was reared from the caterpillar found in the gallery.
RANGE: Found across the Sonoran Desert but only in locations that are
periodically flooded as along rivers or in poorly drained basins. Margins of
agricultural areas. Preferred soil often alkaline or saline.
LEAVES: Thick, fleshy leaves are linear to slightly spatulate. Leaves
may change to orange, red or even purplish with cold or drought.
FLOWERS: Small, green flowers in branching spikes at the top of the
stems.
SHRUB: Slightly woody shrub, 1 to 2 meters
tall. Young stems often reddish-green.
FRUIT: Very small capsules containing one seed each.
UNARMED.No spines.
In the illustration at left, one of the main stems is shown in linear-section revealing the hollowed-out pith. The adult moth shown emerged after the larva completed metamorphosis.