Extriplex californica is a perennial herb growing from a fleshy caudex and taproot.

The scaly gray-green leaves are lance-shaped to oval and less than 3 centimeters (1 in.)

Both types of inflorescence are rough clusters of tiny flowers.

The first publication of this taxon was in 1849 by Alfred Moquin-Tandon (in: De Candolle: Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis 13(2): 98) as Atriplex californica Moq.

[2] Extriplex californica belongs to the tribe Atripliceae in the subfamily Chenopodioideae of Amaranthaceae.