[5] The fruit is a depressed globular pink or red succulent berry, and the seed is approximately 1 millimetre (0.04 in) in diameter with a reticulate coat.

[1]This saltbush was first formally described in 1810 by Robert Brown who gave it the name Rhagodia spinescens in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae et Insulae Van Diemen.

[7][8] In 2012, Susy Fuentes Bazán and Thomas Borsch moved all species of Rhagodia to Chenopodium within the broader family, Amaranthaceae,[3] a change accepted by Rafaël Govaerts at Plants of the World Online.

[2] However, the assignation of this plant to the genus, Rhagodia, and to the family, Chenopodiaceae, is the taxonomy accepted by the Council of Heads of Australasian Herbaria,[9] the National Herbarium of New South Wales,[4] Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria,[6] State Herbarium of South Australia,[5] the Northern Territory Government,[1] Queensland Department of Environment and Science[10] and Western Australian Government Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.

[6] It is found in the IBRA bioregions of Burt Plain, Central Ranges, Channel Country, Coolgardie, Finke, Flinders Lofty Block, Gawler, Great Sandy Desert, Great Victoria Desert, MacDonnell Ranges, Mitchell Grass Downs, Nullarbor, Riverina, Simpson Strzelecki Dunefields, Stony Plains, and Tanami.