Quantitative and qualitative data are given for Sarcobatus vermiculatus (Ho
ok.) Torr. stem anatomy in order to provide information relevant to Behnke'
s segregation of Sarcobatus from Chenopodiaceae and his idea that Sarcobata
ceae belong in suborder Phytolaccineae rather than suborder Chenopodiaceae.
Sarcobatus has highly xeromorphic wood such as in xeric Chenopodiaceae (pr
esence of vasicentric tracheids, narrow vessels, short vessel elements, num
erous vessels per group, helical sculpturing of vessel walls), but these fe
atures could have evolved independently in both suborders. Nonbordered perf
oration plates, present in Sarcobatus, are widespread in Caryophyllales s.s
tr. and may prove to be a defining feature for the recently expanded Caryop
hyllales together with the neighbouring order Santalales. A single-layered
lateral meristem occurs in genera of Chenopodinae with successive cambia, b
ut also in genera of Phytolaccineae. Likewise, raylessness occurs in both s
uborders. Stem and wood anatomy does not provide decisive evidence for plac
ement of Sarcobatus in Phytolaccineae, but it does not provide any evidence
against that treatment.