View source for Sarcocornia

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'''''Sarcocornia''''' is a formerly recognized genus of [[flowering plant]]s in the amaranth family, [[Amaranthaceae]]. Species are known commonly as '''samphires''', '''glassworts''', or '''saltworts'''.<ref name=fna /> [[Molecular phylogenetics|Molecular phylogenetic]] studies have shown that when separated from ''[[Salicornia]]'', the genus is [[Paraphyly|paraphyletic]], since ''Salicornia'' is embedded within it, and ''Sarcocornia'' has now been merged into a more broadly [[Circumscription (taxonomy)|circumscribed]] ''Salicornia''. When separated from ''Salicornia'', the genus has a [[cosmopolitan distribution]],<ref name=nsw /> and is most diverse in the [[Cape Floristic Region]] of [[South Africa]].<ref name=steff />

== Description ==
Species formerly placed in ''Sarcocornia'' are [[Perennial plant|perennial]] herbs, [[subshrub]]s or [[shrub]]s.<ref name="Steffen2015" /> They are taking an erect or prostrate, creeping form.<ref name=al>{{cite journal | last1 = Alonso | first1 = M. Á. | last2 = Crespo | first2 = M. B. | year = 2008 | title = Taxonomic and nomenclatural notes on South American taxa of ''Sarcocornia'' (Chenopodiaceae) | url = http://www.annbot.net/PDF/anbf45/anbf45-241.pdf | journal = Annales Botanici Fennici | volume = 45 | issue = 4| pages = 241–254 | doi=10.5735/085.045.0401| s2cid = 86522475 }}</ref> The new stems are fleshy and divided into joint-like segments. Older stems are woody and not segmented. The oppositely arranged [[leaf|leaves]] are borne on fleshy, knobby [[petiole (botany)|petioles]], their base decurrent and connate (thus forming the segments), the blades forming small, triangular tips with narrow scarious margin.<ref name=fna /> 
[[File:Sarcocorniapacifica.jpg|thumb|Inflorescences of ''[[Salicornia pacifica]]'', formerly ''Sarcocornia pacifica'']]
The terminal or lateral [[inflorescence]]s are spike-like, made up of joint-like segments with tiny paired [[Cyme (botany)|cymes]] emerging from the joints. Each cyme consists of three (rarely five) flowers completely embedded between the bract and immersed in the fleshy tissue of the axis. The flowers of a cyme are arranged in a transverse row, the central flower separating the lateral flowers, with tissue of the axis between them. The hermaphrodite or unisexual flowers are more or less radially symmetric, with a [[perianth]] of three or four fleshy [[tepal]]s connate nearly to the apex, one or two [[stamen]]s, and an ovary with two or three [[stigma (botany)|stigmas]].<ref name=fna/>

The perianth is persistent in fruit. The fruit wall (pericarp) is membranous. The vertical seed is ellipsoid, with light brown, membranous, hairy seed coat, the hairs can be strongly curved, hooked, or conic, straight or slightly curved. The seed contains no perisperm (feeding tissue).<ref name=fna/>

The basic [[Ploidy|chromosome number]] is x=9. The species are diploid (18 chromosomes), tetraploid (36), hexaploid (54), or octoploid (72).<ref name="Steffen2015" />

==Taxonomy==
The genus ''Sarcocornia'' was first described in 1978 by [[A.J.Scott|A J Scott]].<ref name="Scott" /> It separated the perennial species from the closely related annual ''[[Salicornia]]'' senus stricto, additionally containing some species formerly belonging to the former genus ''Arthrocnemum''. The type species is ''[[Salicornia perennis|Sarcocornia perennis]]''.<ref name="tropicos" />

''Sarcocornia''/''Salicornia'' began to evolve during the middle [[Miocene]] from ancestors in [[Eurasia]], developing four phylogenetic lineages: the first was the Eurasian ''Sarcocornia'' clade, further diversifying into the American ''Sarcocornia'' clade, then the ''Salicornia'' clade, and the South African/Australian ''Sarcocornia'' clade. When ''Salicornia'' is separated from ''Sarcocornia'' to comprise all the annual, more frost tolerant species, the genus ''Sarcocornia'' is [[Paraphyly|paraphyletic]], since ''Salicornia'' evolved within ''Sarcocornia''.<ref name="Steffen2015" /> The prostrate, mat-forming growth seems to have evolved several times independently. It is probably advantageous in habitats with prolonged flooding, high tidal movement and frost.<ref name="Steffen2015" />

A [[Molecular phylogenetics|molecular phylogenetic]] study in 2017 confirmed the paraphyly of ''Sarcocornia'', and merged the genus into ''Salicornia''.<ref name=PiirLiebKade17/>

=== Selected former species ===
Accepted names in ''Salicornia'' are taken from [[Plants of the World Online]].<ref name=POWO_Sarcocornia>{{cite web |title=Search for ''Sarcocornia'' |work=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/results?q=Sarcocornia |access-date=2022-04-09 }}</ref>
*''Sarcocornia alpini'' <small>(Lag.) Rivas-Martınez</small> = ''[[Salicornia alpini]]''
*''Sarcocornia ambigua'' <small>(Michx.) M.A.Alonso & M.B.Crespo</small> = ''[[Salicornia ambigua]]''
*''Sarcocornia andina'' <small>(Phil.) Freitag, M.A.Alonso & M.B.Crespo</small> = ''[[Salicornia andina]]''
*''Sarcocornia blackiana'' <small>(Ulbr.) A.J.Scott</small> = ''[[Salicornia blackiana]]''
*''Sarcocornia capensis'' <small>(Moss) A.J.Scott</small> = ''[[Salicornia capensis]]''
*''Sarcocornia carinata'' <small>(Fuente, Rufo & Sánchez Mata) Fuente, Rufo & Sánchez Mata</small> = ''[[Salicornia alpini]]'' subsp. ''carinata''
*''Sarcocornia decumbens'' <small>(Tölken) A.J.Scott</small> = ''[[Salicornia decumbens]]''
*''Sarcocornia decussata'' <small>S.Steffen, Mucina & G.Kadereit</small> = ''[[Salicornia decussata]]''
*''Sarcocornia dunensis'' <small>(Moss) S.Steffen, Mucina & G.Kadereit</small> = ''[[Salicornia dunensis]]''
*''Sarcocornia freitagii'' <small>S. Steffen, Mucina & G.Kadereit</small> = ''[[Salicornia helmutii]]''
*''Sarcocornia fruticosa'' <small>(L.) A.J.Scott</small> = ''[[Salicornia fruticosa]]''
*''Sarcocornia globosa'' <small>P.G. Wilson</small> = ''[[Salicornia globosa]]''
*''Sarcocornia hispanica'' <small>Fuente, Rufo & Sánchez-Mata</small> = ''[[Salicornia hispanica]]''
*''Sarcocornia lagascae'' <small>Fuente, Rufo & Sánchez Mata</small> = ''[[Salicornia lagascae]]''
*''Sarcocornia littorea'' <small>(Moss) A.J.Scott</small> = ''[[Salicornia littorea]]''
*''Sarcocornia magellanica'' <small>(Phil.) M.A.Alonso & M.B.Crespo</small> = ''[[Salicornia magellanica]]''
*''Sarcocornia mossambicensis'' <small>Brenan</small> = ''[[Salicornia mossambicensis]]''
*''Sarcocornia mossiana'' <small>(Tölken) A.J.Scott</small> = ''[[Salicornia mossiana]]''
*''Sarcocornia natalensis'' <small>(Bunge ex Ung.-Sternb.) A.J.Scott</small> = ''[[Salicornia natalensis]]''
*''Sarcocornia neei'' <small>(Lag.) M.A.Alonso & M.B.Crespo</small> = ''[[Salicornia neei]]''
*''Sarcocornia obclavata'' <small>Yaprak</small> = ''[[Salicornia obclavata]]''
*''Sarcocornia pacifica'' <small>(Standl.) A.J.Scott</small> = ''[[Salicornia pacifica]]''
*''Sarcocornia perennis'' <small>(Miller) A.J.Scott</small> = ''[[Salicornia perennis]]''
*''Sarcocornia pillansii'' <small>(Moss) A.J.Scott</small> = ''[[Salicornia pillansii]]''
*''Sarcocornia pruinosa'' <small>Fuente, Rufo & Sánchez-Mata</small> = ''[[Salicornia pruinosa]]''
*''Sarcocornia pulvinata'' <small>(R.E.Fr.) A.J.Scott</small> = ''[[Salicornia pulvinata]]''
*''Sarcocornia quinqueflora'' <small>(Bunge ex Ung.-Sternb.) A.J. Scott</small> = ''[[Salicornia quinqueflora]]''
*''Sarcocornia tegetaria'' <small>S.Steffen, Mucina & G.Kadereit</small> = ''[[Salicornia tegetaria]]''
*''Sarcocornia terminalis'' <small>(Tölken) A.J.Scott</small> = ''[[Salicornia terminalis]]''
*''Sarcocornia utahensis'' <small>(Tidestr.) A.J.Scott</small> = ''[[Salicornia utahensis]]''
*''Sarcocornia xerophila'' <small>(Tölken) A.J.Scott</small> = ''[[Salicornia xerophila]]''
<gallery mode="packed" heights="160px">
Sarcocornia fruticosa781.jpg|''[[Salicornia fruticosa]]'' (syn. ''Sarcocornia fruticosa'')
Arthrocnemum perenne.jpg|''[[Salicornia perennis]]'' (syn. ''Sarcocornia perennis'')
Sarcocornia neei.jpg|''[[Salicornia neei]]'' (syn. ''Sarcocornia neei'')
CSIRO ScienceImage 11694 Beaded glasswort Leschenault Inlet WA.jpg|''[[Salicornia quinqueflora]]'' (syn. ''Sarcocornia quinqueflora'')
</gallery>

== References ==
<references>
<ref name=fna>Ball, Peter W. (2004). "[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=129207 ''Sarcocornia''.]" in ''Flora of North America: North of Mexico [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=129055 Volume 4: Magnoliophyta: Caryophyllidae, part 1]'', Editorial Committee of the ''Flora of North America'' (Oxford University Press, 2004). {{ISBN|978-0-19-517389-5}}.</ref>
<!-- ref name="Fuente">{{cite journal |first1=V. de la |last1=Fuente |first2=L. |last2=Rufo |first3= N. |last3=Rodriguez |first4= D. |last4=Sánchez-Mata |first5=A. |last5=Franco |first6=R. |last6=Amils |date=2016 |title=A study of ''Sarcocornia'' A.J. Scott (Chenopodiaceae) from Western Mediterranean Europe |journal=Plant Biosystems |volume=150 |issue=2 |pages=353 |doi=10.1080/11263504.2012.752414 |s2cid=83903297 }}</ref -->
<ref name=nsw>[http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=gn&name=Sarcocornia ''Sarcocornia''.] PlantNET. National Herbarium of New South Wales, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney.</ref>
<ref name=PiirLiebKade17>{{Citation |mode=cs1 |last1=Piirainen |first1=Mikko |last2=Liebisch |first2=Oskar |last3=Kadereit |first3=Gudrun |date=2017 |title=Phylogeny, biogeography, systematics and taxonomy of Salicornioideae (Amaranthaceae/Chenopodiaceae) – A cosmopolitan, highly specialized hygrohalophyte lineage dating back to the Oligocene |journal=Taxon |volume=66 |issue=1 |pages=109–132 |doi=10.12705/661.6 |url=http://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/MBOT/article/view/59820 |name-list-style=amp }}</ref>
<!-- ref name="Piirainen">Piirainen, M. (2009). "[http://ww2.bgbm.org/euroPlusMed/PTaxonDetail.asp?NameId=7713080&PTRefFk=7300000 ''Sarcocornia.'']" In: P. Uotila, (ed.): ''Chenopodiaceae.'' In: ''Euro+Med Plantbase - the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity.''</ref -->
<ref name="Scott">{{cite journal |first1=A.J. |last1=Scott |date=1978 |title=Reinstatement and revision of Salicorniaceae J. Agardh (Caryophyllales) |journal=Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society |volume=75 |issue=4 |pages=366–367 |doi=10.1111/j.1095-8339.1977.tb01493.x }}</ref>
<ref name=steff>{{cite journal | last1 = Steffen | first1 = S. |display-authors=etal | year = 2010 | title = Revision of ''Sarcocornia'' (Chenopodiaceae) in South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique | journal = Systematic Botany | volume = 35 | issue = 2| pages = 390–408 | doi=10.1600/036364410791638379| s2cid = 85950463 }}</ref>
<ref name="Steffen2015">{{cite journal |first1=S |last1=Steffen|first2=P. |last2=Ball |first3=L. |last3=Mucina |first4=G. |last4=Kadereit |date=2015 |title=Phylogeny, biogeography and ecological diversification of ''Sarcocornia ''(Salicornioideae, Amaranthaceae) |journal=Annals of Botany |volume=115 |issue=3 |pages=353–368  |doi=10.1093/aob/mcu260 |pmid=25617410 |pmc=4332613}}</ref>
<ref name="tropicos">{{Tropicos|40036645|Sarcocornia|||accessdate= 12 August 2016}}</ref>
<!-- ref name=Yaprak>{{cite journal | last1 = Yaprak | first1 = A. E. | year = 2012 | title = ''Sarcocornia obclavata'' (Amaranthaceae) a new species from Turkey | url = http://mapress.com/phytotaxa/content/2012/f/p00049p060f.pdf | journal = Phytotaxa | volume = 49 | pages = 55–60 | doi=10.11646/phytotaxa.49.1.9}}</ref -->
</references>

== External links ==
*{{Commons category-inline|Sarcocornia|''Sarcocornia''}}
*{{Wikispecies-inline|Sarcocornia|''Sarcocornia''}}
*[http://redlist.sanbi.org/genus.php?genus=3607 ''Sarcocornia''.] Red List of South African Plants. South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).

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[[Category:Historically recognized angiosperm genera]]
[[Category:Salicornia]]
[[Category:Halophytes]]