Sex lability discovered in Atriplex vesicaria Heward ex Benth. (Chenopodiaceae)

Repeated visits to 1082 Atriplex vesicaria shrubs over a 3.5 year period detected sexual lability in this species, with 536 changes in gender expression recorded. The majority of switches (77%) occurred between the bisexual and male phenotypes. However, bisexual to male changes were more common than male to bisexual changes. Switches between the male and female phenotypes occurred in 12% of cases. The genetic, hormonal and environmental aspects of sex change are well known for other species in the genus but unknown for A. vesicaria.