CHENOPODIACE^S. 



with succulent sub-cylindrical leaves. Flowers axillary and ses- 

 sile. Dorsal appendages of the 6epals wing-like. Utricle occa- 

 sionally slightly baccate. 



* # * According to Guibourt the sodas of commerce are furnished by 

 the following plants. Soda of Alicant which is the finest, by S. sativa, 

 Kali, Soda and Tragus ; it contains from 25 to 40 per cent of Carb. 

 of Soda. Soda of Narbonne, by Salicornia annua L., it con- 

 tains 14-15 per cent, of Carbonate of Soda. Blanquette or Soda of 

 Aignesmortes, procured from a mixture of salt plants, with from 3-8 

 per cent, of the carbonate ; finally Normandy Soda, obtained from 

 Fucus. 



726. S. Kali Linn. sp. pi. 322. Eng. Bot. t. 634. Woodv. 1. 143. 

 Fl. Dan. t. 818. Eng. Fl. ii. 18. — Common in Europe and the 

 colder parts of Asia either on the sandy sea shore, or in arid 

 deserts. 



An annual plant, forming a bushy stem, covered with rigid spiny 

 channelled leaves, which are a little dilated, membranous and notched 

 at the base. Flowers solitary, each with 3 leaf-like bracts. Calyx 

 dilated, membranous, reddish, converging over the fruit, each sepal 

 with a small leafy appendage on the outside. Fruit turbinate, winged. 



727. A. sativa Lojl. it. 132. Cavan ic. iii. 46. t. 291. Willd. 

 i. 131 1. R. and S. vi. 236. — Coast of Spain, in the kingdom of 

 Valentia. 



An annual, with a succulent root. Stem herbaceous, about a foot 

 high, with spreading, taper, reddish branches, and scattered, numerous, 

 smooth, sessile leaves like those of Sedum. Flowers sessile, axillary, 

 5-7, with 3 minute ovate scales at the base. Calyx very small, but 

 larger than the bracts, with its lobes by degrees dilated into small 

 rounded spreading lobes. Seeds small, compressed, spiral. Poiret. 



728. S. Soda Linn. sp. pi. 323. Willd. i. 1311. Desfont. 

 atl. i. 216. Jacq. hort. vind. t. 68. — South of Europe, north 

 of Africa, salt-plains of the Crimea, &c. 



An annual often growing 3 or 4 feet high and falling prostrate by its 

 own weight. Leaves' long, spreading, fleshy, ash-coloured, with 3 

 narrow green lines on the upper side. Within the axil of each leaf are 

 two smaller ones which are triangular and keeled. Sepals 5, lanceolate, 

 whitish. Stamens rather longer than the calyx. Styles 2. Ovary 

 rapidly growing into an urceolate fruit which is depressed at the apex. 

 The fulf grown calyx very hard, half oval, flattish above, and bordered, 

 5-parted in the middle, falling away with the fruit. 



729. S. Tragus Linn, sp.pl. 322. Pall, illustr. ii. 37. t. 29. f. 2. 

 R. and S. vi. 227. — (Lobel. ic. 797. f. 2.) — South of Europe, 

 north of Africa, Caspian and Euxine seas on the sandy shore. 



A species resembling S. Kali from which it chiefly differs in having 

 the calyx after flowering furnished with short dorsal appendages, which 

 in Kali are longer than the calyx, very broad, round, membranous and 

 transparent. 



350 



