During a successful botanical excursion in December 2022, the first author spotted and collected plant sample that was identified as belonging to a new genus for Morocco, Maireana Moq. (subfam. Chenopodioideae, tribe Sclerolaeneae), which was named to honor the French naturalist Charles Lemaire (1800–1871). This genus is now composed of ca. 59 accepted species, all of them endemic to the Australian continent (POWO 2022).

Maireana is most closely related to Bassia All., and it was previously classified as a member of the genus Kochia Roth. Maireana is distinguished from Bassia by flowers that are usually solitary or paired at the leaf axils, versus solitary flowers or flowers arranged in spicate inflorescences in Bassia. Maireana has a flat to cup-shaped, mostly glabrous perianth, that becomes hardened and winged in fruit, whereas Bassia shows an urn-shaped perianth that produces membranous, scarious wings or a spine-like or tubercle-like appendage per piece in fruit (Wilson, 1975).

Maireana brevifolia (R. Br.) Paul G. Wilson (Kochia brevifolia R. Br.) is a well-known species of the genus that has been introduced, either intentionally or accidentally, in many countries, including Chile, France, Israel, Mexico, Namibia, Pakistan, South Africa, Spain (Canary Islands) and the United States (California) (Marticorena, 1997; Barrett, 2000; Danin 2000; Ilyas et al., 2000; Reyes-Betancort et al., 2002; Mucina & Snijman, 2011). In some areas, it has been regarded as an alien invasive species (GBIF, 2023).

Mucina and Snijman (2011) have already predicted a gradient of high vs. low probability of occurrence of M. brevifolia under the given climate-niche scenario, and some regions of Morocco were highlighted with a high probability of occurrence.

This newest addition to Moroccan Chenopodiaceae was botanically identified as Maireana brevifolia and confirmed by Australian botanists. In this paper, we present a brief description, discussion, and illustration of the Maireana brevifolia individuals, found in Morocco.

Maireana brevifolia (R. Br.) Paul G. Wilson

Maireana brevifolia, also known as Australian bluebush or cotton bush, is an erect rounded shrub that grows to ca. 1.3 m tall (Fig. 1). Its branches are striate and sparsely woolly (Fig. 2). The leaves are succulent, alternate, obovoid to narrowly fusiform, 2–5 mm long, narrowed into a short petiole, glabrous (Fig. 2). Flowers are bisexual, solitary, ebracteolate, ciliate on perianth lobes, otherwise glabrous. Fruiting perianth up to 9 mm in diameter, glabrous, flat at apex; tube ca. 2 mm diam., thin-walled, hemispherical and weakly 10-ribbed below wings; wings 5, spreading, fan-shaped, papery, dark-veined; perianth lobes domed, spongy, prominent at base of wings; radicular slit not apparent (Wilson, 1975). Fruits are harvested in Morocco primarily between November and January.

Specimens examined . Morocco, south-east of Morocco: Ouled Mnia, Skoura, Ouarzazate province, 31º 04’ 16.986” N, 6º 34’ 52.104” W, 1220 m, 20.XII.2022, A. Homrani Bakali & L. Giardi (RAB 111166) (Fig. 1).

Distribution in Morocco . Maireana brevifolia has been found well established on the disturbed saline oasis of Skoura (3), occurring along the road, mixed with alfalfa crops, under olive trees, etc. Maireana brevifolia might have been unintentionally introduced to Morocco from Australia as a result of seed admixtures with Atriplex nummularia Lindl. or Medicago sativa L. Its presence is highly probable in similar oases between Dadès to Tafilalet. Therefore, new inspection efforts are required in ecologically similar Moroccan oases to circumscribe the distribution of the species and better evaluate its local status and distribution.

The particular orography and vastness of the territory of Morocco confer country-specific soils and climatic conditions that are very diversified and favorable for the development of many remarkable species. Consequently, intensive field research in Morocco is of paramount importance for new findings that will improve our knowledge on and will complete the floristic catalogue of this remarkable African area.