Suaeda torreyana

(Syn. S. moquinii) Jaeger says it much better than I: Inkweed thrives only in soils containing both salt and alkali, and generally occurs around the edges of wet-type dry lakes in which moisture is near the surface. Inasmuch as it cannot stand much salt, it is limited to a belt outside the Allenrolfea thickets on the true salt flats such as occur in Death Valley and Panamint valleys. On the Colorado Desert inkweed is associated with mesquite and quailbush, especially in the Coachella Valley. ... The Name inkweed was given because a poor sort of black ink can be made from the herbage; the Cahuillas extracted a black dye for use on art work.