Halogeton

Halogeton is a plant genus for which 6 species are presently proposed. The species are annual plants which are tolerant of fairly saline soils; the genus name, Halogeton, derives from the Greek words for "salt" and for "neighbor."

A Halogeton species, which is presently identified as Halogeton sativus, and earlier as the species Salsola sativa, was cultivated for the enormous 18th Century barilla industry in Spain that produced soda ash. Salsola sativa was considered to be a "saltwort" plant.

Halogeton glomeratus is considered a noxious weed in most regions of the United States; a particular difficulty with H. glomeratus is that it is poisonous to sheep, and possibly to cattle, due to the high concentration of sodium oxalate in the dry plant. The common names for H. glomeratus include halogeton (the same as the genus), barilla, and saltlover.

Halogeton species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including The Nutmeg and the Coleophora case-bearers C. klimeschiella and C. parthenica.

Translation

The word "Halogeton" occurs as such in the following languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese.

Translation in Chinese: 盐生草.