Amaranthaceae
Bassia

Bassia scoparia (L.) Voss

First published in Deutsche Gartenrat 2(132, Extra-Beilage): [1] (1904)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is E. Europe to Temp. Asia. It is an annual and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2016) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 1: Elatinaceae to Sphenocleaceae.

Morphology General Habit
Erect annual, 20–100(–150) cm, with long ascending branches from base upwards
Morphology Stem
Stem and branches whitish, striate, sometimes reddish-tinged, moderately to densely clothed throughout with short to rather long, soft, whitish hairs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves flat, narrowly oblong- lanceolate to lanceolate or linear, 3-nerved, those of main stem and lower parts of branches 20–50(–80) × 1.5–7(–10) mm, apex acute, gradually attenuate and subpetiolate at base, ± densely pilose when young, when mature glabrous to thinly pilose on upper surface, more densely finely appressed-hairy below; inflorescence leaves rather abruptly reducing
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences spiciform, foliose, lax to rather dense, axis with fine appressed to rather long, spreading, brownish hairs; flowers solitary or 2–5, unisexual or hermaphrodite, surrounded by basal tufts of hair or not
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth of female and hermaphrodite flowers ± 2 mm in diameter, fused in basal 2/3, free apical lobes incurved, blunt, greenish (sometimes reddish-tinged), ciliate-margined or glabrous, each with a basal dorsal umbo which develops in fruit into a hollow, bluntly conical sac or rarely a wing; ovary rounded, depressed; style very short, stigmas ± 1 mm
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens Filaments
Filaments delicate, ± 1.5 mm; anthers shortly oblong, 1 mm, often reddish-tinged
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit ± 2 mm diameter, compressed-ovoid, dark brown, ± 1.5 mm.
Ecology
In the mountain zone; mountain slopes mostly on gravelly substrates; alt. 1000–2500 m;
Distribution
Possible origin of species is Central Asia (E Kazakhstan, Kyrghyzstan, W China, Mongolia), alien in many temperate regions of Eurasia, N & S America.
[FIQ]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: threatened. Confidence: low confidence
[AERP]

Ghazanfar, S. A. & Edmondson, J. R (Eds). (2016) Flora of Iraq, Volume 5 Part 1: Elatinaceae to Sphenocleaceae.

Morphology General Habit
Plant forming a dense, ovoid “bush”, densely foliose with linear, mostly 1-nerved leaves
Distribution
Iraq: Escaped from cultivation, as ephemerophyte; collected around Baghdad. Cultivated elsewhere including neighboring territories (Arabia, Kuwait, Palestine).
[FIQ]

Uses

Use
Grown in gardens for the beautiful reddish colour which it develops on senescence – hence its English name of “Burning Bush”.
[FIQ]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Flora of Iraq

    • Ghazanfar, S. A., Edmondson, J. R. (Eds). (2013-2019). Flora of Iraq, Volumes 5.1, 5.2 and 6.0. Kew Publishing
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images