Sarcocornia quinqueflora/Sea Asparagus/Samphire is an edible species from the Chenopodiaceae/Goosefoot family with a distribution on the rocky, sandy and muddy shores of Australia and New Zealand, photographed today on the shore at Dodges Ferry. The fleshy segmented stems are edible with a salty spicy flavor and we love to saute them with mushrooms and butter. This time of year the fresh young stems are nice to eat raw and tossed in salads or cooked in stir fries, but as the stems age they become woody and are unpalatable unless blanched. Different species of Samphire grow around the world and are a valued nutritious vegetable with a taste that replaces the need to add salt and pepper.
Sarcocornia quinqueflora 
Echidna at home near Sarcocornia quinqueflora