Dr Hamilton on a Plant used as a Green Vegetable. 24i5 



name I have retained in the catalogue of specimens presented 

 to the India House, although I doubt much of the propriety 

 of including it in this genus, as will appear from the following , 

 description. In its general appearance it strongly resembles 

 the spinach. 



Radix annua, recta, descendens, crassitie digiti minoris. 

 Caulis herbaceus, duos vel tres pedes longus, primo erectius- 

 culus, demum prostratus, ramosus, obtusangulus, glaber. Folia 

 alterna, caulina deltoideo-oblonga, glabra, obtusa, venosa, basi 

 integerrima, apices versus erosa. Petiolus mediocris, margi- 

 natus. Stipulae nullae. 



Spicse terminales, longissimge, foliis floralibus minutis basin 

 versus comosas ; supra nudas, bracteis alternis linearibus flore 

 brevioribus indutse. Flores e foliorum floralium vel bractearum 

 singularum axillis gemini, sessiles, divaricati, herbacei. 



Calycis quinquephylli foliola linearia, concava. Petala nulla. 

 Filamenta quinque calyce breviora, calycis foliolis opposita, 

 basi coalita in discum hypogynum cyathiforme. Germen mag- 

 num, planum, superum. Stylus nullus. Stigmata tria. 



Bacca depressa, calyce carnosiusculo tecta. Caro tenuis, 

 mollis. Semen unicum, crustaceum integumento interiore mem- 

 branaceo. Albumen centrale, farinaceum. Embryon incurvum, 

 teres, horizontale. 



The Nunika (salina) of the Hindwi dialect, which grows on 

 the saline plains near Agra, has nearly similar generic charac- 

 ters, although I suspect that it may be the Salsola Indica, 

 (Willd. Sp. PL i, 1317; Enc. Meth. vii. S90,) and the speci- 

 mens sent to the India House have been marked with this 

 name. I am, however, very uncertain whether this is the plant 

 meant by Willdenow, and I doubt very much of its being a 

 Salsola. Of this, however, the reader may judge from the fol- 

 lowing account : 



Frutex statura tamarisci, ramis diffusis, sparsis, teretibus, 

 glabris. Folia sparsa, intervallis longiora, subsessilia, carnosa, 

 ancipitia, apice inermi acutiuscula, pilis destituta, sed squa- 

 mulis quasi minutis punctata, avenia, divaricata, non stipulacea. 



Flores axillares 3— -5, sessiles, e ramulis novissimis pullulan- 

 tes, ebracteati, parvi, herbacei. 



Calycis quinquepartiti laciniae concavae, patulae. Corolla 



