About Nitrophila occidentalis (Moq.) S.Watson
Nitrophila occidentalis (Moq.) S.Watson is a species of flowering plant in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. Its common names are boraxweed, and it is sometimes called western niterwort. It is native to the western United States and northern Mexico, where it grows in habitats with moist alkaline soils, including salt pans. It is a rhizomatous perennial herb that produces either decumbent or erect stems that grow up to around 30 centimeters tall. The stems have paired branches, lined with oppositely arranged, fleshy, green leaves that are linear or oblong in shape and reach up to 1.6 centimeters in length. Flowers grow in the leaf axils, either singly or in clusters of up to 3 flowers, and are accompanied by small bracts. The flower does not have petals, but it has five pointed sepals that are 1 to 2 millimeters long. The sepals are white or pink in color, and fade to white as they age.
