Salsola kali
Encyclopedia
Kali soda (commonly known
as prickly saltwort, Russian thistle, or prickly glasswort) is an annual plant
that grows in arid soils and in sandy coastal soils. Its original range is Eurasian, but it has become naturalized, and even invasive, in North America, Australia, and elsewhere. The dried plant can detach and become a tumbleweed
.
; sodium carbonate is one of the alkali
materials essential to making glass
, soap
, and many other commodites. The word alkali derives from the Arabic al qaly, or "from Kali." Salsola soda
, Kali soda, Halogeton sativus, and other saltwort
and glasswort
plants were an important source of soda ash until the early 19th century. In Spain, the saltwort plants were called barrilla, and were the basis of a large 18th century barilla
industry. In the early 19th century, plant sources were supplanted by synthetic soda ash produced using the Leblanc process
.
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
as prickly saltwort, Russian thistle, or prickly glasswort) is an annual plant
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
that grows in arid soils and in sandy coastal soils. Its original range is Eurasian, but it has become naturalized, and even invasive, in North America, Australia, and elsewhere. The dried plant can detach and become a tumbleweed
Tumbleweed
A tumbleweed is the above-ground part of a plant that, once mature and dry, disengages from the root and tumbles away in the wind. Usually, the tumbleweed is the entire plant apart from the roots, but in a few species it is a flower cluster. The tumbleweed habit is most common in steppe and desert...
.
Alkali and soda ash
Soda ash extracted from the ashes of Kali soda contains as much as 30% sodium carbonateSodium carbonate
Sodium carbonate , Na2CO3 is a sodium salt of carbonic acid. It most commonly occurs as a crystalline heptahydrate, which readily effloresces to form a white powder, the monohydrate. Sodium carbonate is domestically well-known for its everyday use as a water softener. It can be extracted from the...
; sodium carbonate is one of the alkali
Alkali
In chemistry, an alkali is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal element. Some authors also define an alkali as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7. The adjective alkaline is commonly used in English as a synonym for base,...
materials essential to making glass
Glass
Glass is an amorphous solid material. Glasses are typically brittle and optically transparent.The most familiar type of glass, used for centuries in windows and drinking vessels, is soda-lime glass, composed of about 75% silica plus Na2O, CaO, and several minor additives...
, soap
Soap
In chemistry, soap is a salt of a fatty acid.IUPAC. "" Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd ed. . Compiled by A. D. McNaught and A. Wilkinson. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford . XML on-line corrected version: created by M. Nic, J. Jirat, B. Kosata; updates compiled by A. Jenkins. ISBN...
, and many other commodites. The word alkali derives from the Arabic al qaly, or "from Kali." Salsola soda
Salsola soda
Salsola soda, more commonly known in English as Opposite Leaved Saltwort, Oppositeleaf Russian Thistle, or Barilla Plant, is a small , annual, succulent shrub that is native to the Mediterranean Basin...
, Kali soda, Halogeton sativus, and other saltwort
Saltwort
Saltwort is a common name for several genera of flowering plants, including:*Batis, family Bataceae*Salicornia and Salsola, family Amaranthaceae*Salsola kali, prickly saltwort...
and glasswort
Glasswort
Salicornia is a genus of succulent, halophyte plants that grow in salt marshes, on beaches, and among mangroves. Salicornia species are native to North America, Europe, South Africa, and South Asia...
plants were an important source of soda ash until the early 19th century. In Spain, the saltwort plants were called barrilla, and were the basis of a large 18th century barilla
Barilla
Barilla S.p.A. is a major Italian and European food company founded in 1877 in Parma, Italy by Pietro Barilla...
industry. In the early 19th century, plant sources were supplanted by synthetic soda ash produced using the Leblanc process
Leblanc process
The Leblanc process was the industrial process for the production of soda ash used throughout the 19th century, named after its inventor, Nicolas Leblanc. It involved two stages: Production of sodium sulfate from sodium chloride, followed by reaction of the sodium sulfate with coal and calcium...
.
External links
- Online Field guide to Common Saltmarsh Plants of Queensland
- Salsola kali Israel native Plants