tumbleweed

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• tumbleweed
• Slender Russian-thistle

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Kali collinum
• Salsola ircutiana
• Salsola kali subsp. collina
• Salsola erubescens
• Salsola chinensis

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, placing it within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified under the order Caryophyllales and the family Amaranthaceae. Within this hierarchy, the medicinal species is identified by the genus Salsola.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several regions of the European continent. In Middle Europe, its presence is documented within the territories of Germany and Poland. The species can also be found stretching through the landscapes of Hungary. Furthermore, its range extends through the central regions of Czechia and Slovakia. Finally, the distribution reaches into Southwestern Europe, specifically within the borders of Spain.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Salsola collina is characterized by its presence across a diverse range of environmental settings, including crop fields, forests, old fields, sandy terrains, and steppe landscapes. This species demonstrates a specific altitudinal preference, occupying a high-altitude ecological niche within an elevational range that spans from a minimum of 2500 m AMSL to a maximum of 3600 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

3600 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

2500 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields, forest, old fields, sand, steppe

Life history

The life history of Salsola collina is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning the plant completes its entire developmental progression—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. As an annual species, it typically emerges following seasonal moisture availability, rapidly establishing its vegetative structure to maximize resource acquisition in its native arid or semi-arid habitats. Throughout its short life, the plant focuses its metabolic energy on reaching reproductive maturity, eventually producing seeds that serve as the primary mechanism for survival and dispersal before the parent plant senesces. This rapid, single-season strategy allows the species to exploit ephemeral environmental windows, ensuring that its progeny are dispersed and ready to await favorable conditions for the subsequent year's germination cycle.

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Salsola collina is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and forb, exhibiting a self-supporting structure rather than acting as a liana, vine, or climber. This independent, non-parasitic plant typically maintains a relatively low profile, with a plant height ranging from a minimum of 0.1 m to a maximum of 1 m. In terms of its ecological niche and substrate preference, the species is categorized as terrestrial, distinguishing it from aquatic or semiaquatic life forms, and it functions as a terrestrial organism rather than an epiphyte.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

1 m

Plant height min:

0.1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Salsola collina is characterized by a highly efficient C4 photosynthetic pathway, a specialized metabolic adaptation that allows the plant to concentrate carbon dioxide and minimize photorespiration, making it exceptionally well-suited for arid or high-temperature environments. Its morphological structure supports this metabolic efficiency through leaves that exhibit a linear form with entire margins. Notably, the plant lacks defensive integumentary structures such as leaf thorns or leaf spines, relying instead on its specific physiological and structural adaptations to thrive in its ecological niche.

Leaf form :

linear

Leaf margin :

entire

Leaf spines :

no

Leaf thorns :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C4

Reproduction

The reproduction of Salsola collina is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering window that dictates its reproductive cycle. The flowering process typically commences in July and continues through the late summer months, eventually reaching its conclusion in September. This temporal pattern ensures that the plant's reproductive efforts are concentrated during this specific period of the year.

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Sep

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Salsola collina has 14 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include salicylic acid, Acanthoside D, BETA-SITOSTEROL, Flavonoid, Flavonoids.

salicylic acid

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Acanthoside D

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

BETA-SITOSTEROL

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Flavonoid

1. BMC plant biology

Flavonoids

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Polyphenol

1. BMC plant biology

Tricin

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Vanillic acid

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

ferulic acid

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

isorhamnetin 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Activities

Salsola collina has 1 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant.

Antioxidant

1. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)

Medicinal Uses

Salsola collina has 5 reported medicinal uses identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include constipation, headache, hypertension, insomnia, vertigo.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations